By Rivonia Naidu

Hanelene Mostert experienced horror, helplessness and hope on Thursday as she first watched her police officer husband, Andre, take on armed robbers in a gun battle at the Pavilion shopping complex and then fight for his life after being shot five times.

One of the hardest things she had to do was break the news to their eight-year-old daughter.

"We just have to have faith and support each other," she said.

In an interview with the Daily News Hanelene, who is a legal secretary for Legal Services, told of how a shopping trip turned into a nightmare when she had to watch in horror as a gun battle broke out between her SAPS inspector husband and four armed robbers at the shopping centre on Thursday.

The couple were walking out of Beverley Jewellers on level two when Andre noticed four men armed with rifles walking out of Arthur Kaplan Jewellers with bulging bags.

He became suspicious. Mostert then drew his firearm in an attempt to apprehend the suspects, but they began firing at him and a furious exchange of gunfire took place. Andre was shot five times, mostly in the chest, and collapsed on the scene.

The suspects then split up and ran in different directions. As one of the suspects fled, he left a trail of blood behind him. Later, in an interview, Hanelene said she could not believe that only one robber had been hit as Andre had fired off 16 rounds.

The wounded police officer lay bleeding on the floor as paramedics and a doctor tried to stabilise him.

Bullet holes riddled the glass display windows and doors of nearby stores. Shocked employees and shoppers, who said between 25 and 30 shots, were fired, huddled together.

Shop owners lowered steel grills to protect their premises and staff.

Police dogs prowled the perimeter of the shopping complex as a police helicopter circled overhead.

Hanelene said her "heart went cold" when she saw her husband fall to the ground.

"I was watching the shootout and then all of a sudden I saw Andre collapse... I was so scared," she said in tears.

On Friday morning Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said Mostert had undergone surgery at St Augustine's hospital and was doing very well.

Botha said Mostert's lungs had collapsed and therefore emergency surgery had to be carried out.

"The doctor had to cut open Mostert's chest and insert a chest drain so that his lungs could expand again to help him breathe," he said.

A witness described the incident as shocking.

"We were all so scared. When we heard the gunshots we all just fell to the floor to avoid being hit by bullets," said a woman who spoke on condition of anonymity.

General manager of the Pavilion Preston Gaddy said management had already handed over CCTV footage to the police and investigations were under way.

"With the CCTV footage police would be able to make a lot of headway with their investigations," he said.

He said every effort was being made to step up security, especially since the holiday season was approaching.

Speaking at the scene, Kelvin Glen of Business Against Crime said despite the shooting, they would still not advocate arming security guards in shopping malls.

The suspects made off with Rolex watches valued at R1,5-million and R46 000 in cash. Two years ago, Arthur Kaplan Jewellers was also robbed of Rolex watches and cash.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Danelia Veldhuizen said police had recovered a white Polo believed to be one of the getaway vehicles in Chesterville.

She said no arrests had been made and police were investigating.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Daily News on November 16, 2007

I-Cube or Integrated Intelligent Imaging (I³) focuses of proactive crime prevention using real time links to multiple internal and external databases in order to generate a warning prior to crime occurring, allowing anticipation of the offence. All the projects I-Cube is involved with have a central theme of using images, as this allows both the real time and covert nature of the proactive crime prevention systems to operate to the best effect.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS: As the person or car approaches the entrance a camera captures a number of images from which the license plate or face are extracted. These images are saved, allowing this information to be used in subsequent investigations. The face or license plate is then compared to local databases, allowing greeting of repeat visitors and external databases, such as insurance companies, stolen and suspicious vehicles, SAPS, Metro, etc. If the vehicle is listed as stolen, appropriate action should then be taken. If the vehicle is listed as never have been registered, this is a good vehicle to investigate further. Within a short period of the system being in operation, most vehicles and people have been logged and registered, allowing typically limited resources to be focused on the few remaining exceptions. The ability to leverage the equipment to operate in a marketing role, while still actively focusing on proactive crime prevention, has major advantages in a cash limited environment. If you have more than 50 people a day passing a point where we can place a camera, I-Cube has the experience and ability to turn this into a revenue stream. Please contact I-Cube to explore this further.

WHAT IS REQUIRED: The key to proactive crime prevention using real time links is that the system does not require human intervention, it is fully automatic. The camera automatically captures the image, the facial or license plate is automatically compared to both local and remote databases and if required an alarm is generated. The I-Cube solution can operate locally but using a wide range of communication means (including ADSL, 3G, GPRS, iBURST, Wireless or satellite) a real time link to multiple databases can be established, allowing immediate updates of stolen vehicles as they are added to SAPS or the insurance databases.

The system requires a camera linked to a computer, running the I-Cube Intelligent Software. The software is trained to recognise the item to be logged or counted, be that people, cars or different types of products. Once the item is logged, it can then be compared to pre-set rules or databases, allowing an alarm to be generated if the incorrect number of products exit or a vehicle enters after hours or is listed as not allowed. The ability to link vehicle colour, weight, and driver, biometric and other info as required to the license plate gives the I-Cube system tremendous advantages.

I-Cube can integrate with your existing system or provide dedicated cameras, computers and networks. Please contact I-Cube with your requirements and existing equipment.

WHAT DOES IT COST: I-Cube can provide database links only, software only, some hardware and software or a complete solution, fully installed and maintained, if required? The cost can be a capital amount, a rental per month, a cost per transaction or shared revenue. Costs range from 0.13c per chicken (based on 100 000 birds a day) to 3c per car (based on single entry / exit lanes) to R1 950.00 per month to R49 500.00 for the software and hardware. Please contact I-Cube for your specific requirements.

The following illustrates some examples of the users of this technology. Please contact I-Cube or your local IT / CCTV / DVR / biometric supplier for a customised proposal, taking into consideration your requirements, existing solutions and possible revenue sources.

SCHOOL: The entrance of the school is covered with a camera, which is linked wirelessly to a PC running the I-Cube software. The students, staff and parents are enrolled into a local database, which allows specific messages to be placed on an electronic display, while visitors are directed to the visitor parking area and then to reception. The schools limited manpower resources can then focus on the visitors, rather than the known parents or staff. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

DISTRIBUTION CENTRE: The ability to link the license plate, driver facial image, vehicle type and colour, container number and weight of the truck and weight of goods listed on the invoice prevents unauthorised removal of any items. Productivity per vehicle is up while the number of hours wasted at weigh bridges has been substantially reduced, as the distribution centre no longer allows vehicles out which would be fined for overloading. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

GOLF ESTATE: The existing cameras at the entrance and at key points through the estate were linked to the I-Cube LPR software allowing all visitors and residents to be logged at a number of points through the estate. The system was linked to a national database of suspect and stolen cars, allowing proactive crime prevention. When an alarm is detected, the armed reaction team are called into action, supporting the estate front end guards. A side effect of the I-Cube LPR solution is that the average speed of the vehicles is automatically determined, ensuring the estate remains children friendly. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

OFFICE BLOCK: Parking, or rather the lack of parking within the office block was the reason to call I-Cube. Each tenant has a certain number of bays allocated for staff and visitors. When these bays were occupied and more vehicles were allowed into the office block, major congestion resulted, causing severe frustration for both visitors and office workers. I-Cube utilised the existing cameras to count the number of vehicles into and out of the office block. When the number of vehicles approached critical level, a mobile LPR system was deployed and staff parking in visitor areas were requested to remove their vehicles. Failure to comply led to banning of those vehicles for a certain number of days, again utilising the I-Cube enabled LPR solution. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: The problem faced by the neighbourhood watch was not that of limited resources or money, but of how to prevent known criminals from entering the area patrolled by the neighbourhood watch. The exiting dome cameras were linked to the I-Cube LPR solution, plus a mobile LPR solution was provided. All vehicles and people entering the neighbourhood watch area were recorded and match against the known criminals. If matched, these people were approached and asked to explain where they were going and what they were doing. Car theft was reduced substantially while contact crimes no longer occur. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT: The department had a recovery rate of fewer than 30% of all fines issued. I-Cube introduced a road block LPR solution which allowed the traffic department to generate an alarm when a vehicle with an outstanding fine or warrant was detected. These vehicles were then automatically pulled over to a parking area where the drivers were informed of any fines or warrants were issued. The drivers had the option to pay any amounts outstanding via credit card, check or cash via the I-Cube supplied mobile payment systems. The number of outstanding fines has improved substantially to more than 70%. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

TAXI ROUTE MONITORING & ENFORCEMENT: If taxi routes are not regulated commuters along non profitable routes are not serviced and violence between competing taxi associations often results. If the taxi routes are monitored with the I-Cube LPR solution illegal operators are immediately identified and prevented from operating. Where two of these monitoring points are linked, average speed determination can be determined and the number of trips per taxi per day can be calculated and communicated to the taxi owners. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

TRUCK OVERWEIGHT ENFORCEMENT: A number of kilometres before the truck reaches the off ramp to the official weighbridge where a fine would be issued, the license plate is captured using the I-Cube LPR solution and weight is determined using an in line weigh sensor. If the weight per axle or total weight exceeds that allowed, the license truck is sent a message via the variable message signs (VMS) that it is required to exit on the next off ramp and proceed to the weigh bridge. If the driver / vehicle proceed past the off ramp or do not go to the weigh bridge, an alarm is generated, allowing the truck to be chased / pulled over further ahead or logged for further action. Please contact I-Cube for more details.

A NUMBER OF OTHER EXAMPLES EXIST: Please contact I-Cube for more details.