By Emma Arubi

 WARRI — DELTA State Joint Patrol Team, yesterday smashed a five-man car snatching gang, killing four at different parts of the town with one escaping with serious gun shot injury.

Security sources told Vanguard that the car thieves,  who came from Benin City, Edo State, had snatched a Toyota Salara Saloon car with registration number, Abuja, FF 790 ABJ, at gun point from its owner at Ovwian–Aladja at about  9:30 p.m. and abducted the owner,  before abandoning him at a primary school and were heading back to Benin, when they luck ran against them.

Vanguard gathered that the owner of the car, who accompanied the patrol team, sighted the car at about 1:30 p.m. around Airport Junction, Effurun, and alerted the team, who gave them a hot chase that ended in fierce exchange of gun fire, which  left one of them dead on the spot.

Two others were later caught at Jakpa Road, Effurun, where they were seeking for medical help, following gunshot wound sustained in the battle while the fourth was caught at about 5:00 a.m. at a compound in Effurun, where he ran into and was reported by some Okada riders.

Police sources said they all gave up the ghost at the Ovwian police station due to injuries suffered from the gun duel with security personnel. The police have, therefore, requested information from the public on anyone suspected to have sustained gun shot injury.

When Vanguard visited the command headquarters of the Joint Patrol in Warri for comments, the commander was said to be away on another serious assignment.