Man robbed on his way to suicide

March 19 2010 at 10:14AM

By Lavern De Vries
Crime Writer

A man intent on ending his life instead fell foul of criminals who robbed him of his belongings under the bridge from which he planned to jump.

The 43-year-old, from Rylands Estate, sustained serious burns when he set himself alight shortly after two people robbed him on Thursday.

According to police spokesman Captain Ezra October, the man approached the unfinished West Boulevard Bridge at about 7.10am on Thursday.

While on his way to the top, two men allegedly robbed him of the tog bag in which he reportedly had extra clothes.

Seemingly unfazed by the robbery, the man continued to mount the bridge.

Two police officers arrived in time to see him on the edge, smoking a cigarette and sipping from a plastic bottle.

He first told the policemen to keep their distance, then called one over to report the robbery.

The policeman caught a whiff of petrol and realised this was what the man had been sipping.

He then set himself alight, but the police officers doused the flames. He freed himself and threatened to jump, so the two policemen called negotiators.

After talking to them, the man agreed to not kill himself on condition that police arrest the pair who allegedly robbed him.

Police then arrested a 43-year-old man and his 26-year-old alleged accomplice after the man pointed them out to police as the pair who robbed him.

The man was treated for burns at Groote Schuur Hospital.

From: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=iol1268984429549S235