As the bullets tore through the silver Mercedes-Benz, Kelvin Ludidi had no other option but to jump out of the moving vehicle and try his luck on foot.
He had already run down a police superintendent - sending him flying over his bonnet - bumped five cars and sped into oncoming traffic with the speedometer needle hurtling towards 200km/h.
As he leapt out onto West Street in the Sandton CBD, a bullet slammed into his left arm. Defeated, he went down and was immediately handcuffed. His car was still rolling and an officer jumped in to stop it.
Yesterday's dramatic chase through the busy financial hub netted one of Gauteng's most wanted criminals and a man police believe is linked to the notorious Rolex Gang.
See - Gallery: Gang member nabbed after high-speed chase
At the scene, police spokesman Inspector Moses Maphakela said he was confident the man would be linked to at least 60 cases of violent robberies - especially those committed in driveways.
Ludidi is currently out on R10 000 bail for a 2007 case of armed robbery in which a gang followed a couple from the Sandton City shopping mall. The suspects were later arrested with the aid of CCTV footage at the centre. At the time, it seems Ludidi was also on bail for another armed robbery.
Ludidi’s last crime allegedly involved eight armed men and a cigarette truck hijacking worth R250 000 in Randburg last week. Police are also linking Ludidi to the Sandon Knife Gang, driveway crimes and crimes involving people followed from Sandton City shopping mall.
It all began in the parking lot of Morningside Clinic, where police had set up a trap for Ludidi. Police sources said that as he drove in, a superintendent in charge of the Trio Task Team, Alexandra cluster, jumped out to make the arrest. Ludidi then allegedly drove straight into the superintendent.
"He tried to run him down," a source said. "One of the (police) vehicles tried to block him, but he crashed into the car. He hit another three vehicles and went out onto Benmore Street."
Two officers from the task team had heard the gunshots fired by the superintendent moments after he was knocked down. Speeding around the corner, they saw the Mercedes-Benz and gave chase.
They raced into oncoming traffic, following Ludidi as he bumped into another car and forced his way across Grayston Drive. According to sources, the police were driving at around 200km/h to catch up with their man.
It was just after Grayston Drive that the officers began shooting. About 10 rounds were fired before Ludidi surrendered. Some of the bullets from a police rifle punched through the boot but lodged in the driver's seat.
Ludidi did not have a chance to shoot at the officers, but a pistol was found in his car.
While police gathered evidence from the bullet-riddled car, Ludidi was taken to hospital under heavy police guard.
The alleged mastermind behind the notorious ‘Rolex Gang’, Kelvin Ludidi, was linked to - or even a kingpin of - the so-called Rolex Gang. He is allegedly linked to to at least 60 cases of violent robberies in the Northern suburbs including those of socialite Edith Venter, attorney Billy Gundelfinger and Discovery Health’s Adrian Gore.
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