A suspected bandit was fatally shot by police ranks who responded to a report of larceny of sheep at Vryheid Village, West Canje on Tuesday morning.

The body of the unknown man of African descent is lying at the New Amsterdam hospital mortuary where it awaits identification and a post mortem examination.

Police Divisional Commander Kevin Adonis told this newspaper that following a report of larceny of twenty nine heads of sheep from Calabash Creek, three Police ranks from the Reliance Station, accompanied by the animal’s owner, went to Vryied Village shortly after 06:00hrs

According to Adonis, the ranks went into the yard which has a shack. The ranks knocked on the door and the suspected bandit greeted them, but retreated inside the shack to retrieve a 9mm pistol from which he fired a round.

The police responded, discharging a round at the suspect who subsequently succumb to his injuries. At the shack, police found a haversack and a laptop which were reportedly stolen from a couple on Friday evening.

Following the shootout, ranks went to the home of another suspect, identified as Raymond La Fleur where another .765 Taurus weapon was recovered. La Fleur had served time for robbery under arms. Another suspect by the name of Mark Van Lewin was also arrested at La Fleur’s home.