Will this guard get a medal?

He should! Wow.

The fight against crime needs role models and this guy is one and then some.

Imagine risking your life as he did for a R1500 per month salary. Imagine chasing five armed robbers by yourself with the intention of arresting them?!

You are a hero, Nkosinathi Nkosi!

Well done also to the police for being quick enough to catch the remainder of the crooks.

From IoL

Security guard helps cops nab robbers

August 15 2006 at 10:17AM

By Gill Gifford and Poloko Tau

A gang of robbers believed to have been responsible for a spate of housebreakings in Johannesburg's northern suburbs during the past six months has been bust after a shootout with police and security guards.

Four robbers were arrested minutes after robbing a house in Emmarentia on Monday, with one arrested after being shot in the face by SAS Security guard Nkosinathi Nkosi and three others caught in the area as police swooped on them.

According to Nkosi, who played a pivotal role in helping the police arrest the gang, a fifth man escaped on foot.

'They began shooting at me while the car reversed...'
The gang used a particular modus operandi to gain access to homes and properties, then ransacking the houses and escaping.

According to police spokesperson Superintendent Chris Wilken, the gang would arrive at a house in a bakkie, and would sometimes be wearing overalls or work clothes.

They would ask the domestic worker to open up and let them in as they had been sent by her employer, whose name they would give.

Police believe the men checked letterboxes to establish the names of the occupants of the homes.

"They would say 'We've been sent by your boss to clean the pool and we're in a hurry.

"If you don't want to let us in, we'll leave and it will be your problem. We've got other jobs to get to'," Wilken said.

The story they used would change from time to time - they would claim to be carpet cleaners or technicians needing to work on the phones - but in each case they would strike as soon as they gained access.

On Monday the men arrived at the house in Emmarentia, pulling up at the house in a white bakkie.

"They had the home-owner's name and asked the domestic worker to open up for them because they were there to do some damp-proofing and some repairs to the floors in the house," Wilken said.

Unsure of what to do, the domestic worker opened the gate and they entered the property. One of the four men was armed with a gun, and threatened the woman while his accomplices tied her up.

As the robbers ransacked the house, the domestic worker managed to free herself and pressed the panic button linked to an armed response service.

Nkosi was patrolling The Braids Road in Emmarentia when he heeded a call for help from the domestic worker.

"I immediately called for back-up and drove down the street and saw a white bakkie parked inside the yard. I then blocked the driveway and they must have noticed me and ran out of the house," Nkosi said,

Five men emerged from the house, jumped into the bakkie and prepared to reverse out of the premises.

But their way was blocked by Nkosi's vehicle.

"They jumped out and approached me, demanding that I remove my car. That was when I threatened to shoot if they came any closer. I ordered them to remain still but they went back into the car."

Nkosi jumped into his patrol car when they reversed. Despite his blocking their way, he thought they were going to drive over his vehicle and he moved out of the way.

"They began shooting at me while the car reversed. I returned fire and one of them, who had not jumped into the car... he managed to flee on foot as I went after the other four," he said.

Nkosi managed to catch one suspect, while the remaining three men were caught by the police.

All four suspects are from Soweto and will appear in court on Wednesday.

Police commissioner Oswald Reddy paid credit to the "excellent work" of the police and the security company, saying he was very happy with the breakthrough.

"We must continue to work like this to make Joburg safer," he said.

This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on August 15, 2006