Shooting of a businessman in Sutherland after his car was rammed was the result of a carefully-planned robbery

Shooting of a businessman in Sutherland after his car was rammed was the result of a carefully-planned robbery and not road rage, police believe.Two men wearing balaclavas robbed the man of a bag of cash takings about 12.15am today. The incident began as the 35-year-old businessman sat inside a grey Mazda 3 stopped at traffic lights on the intersection of River Rd and Linden St. The driver of a red Nissan Patrol deliberately rammed the Nissan into the back of the Mazda 3, badly damaging the smaller vehicle. Two men wearing balaclavas got out of the Nissan and one of the men pulled out a gun, shooting the businessman in the thigh. The Mazda began to roll downhill before the bandits could reach the cash takings, which were in a bag on the front seat. The car rolled about 100m downhill before crashing into a fence, and the men gave chase, steling the takings as the victim lay wounded. Then they fled to a waiting silver Mazda SP23, occupied by two other men, and drove off, leaving the damaged cars behind. Earlier reports suggested that the driver had been the victim of a road rage attack. The victim was taken to St George Hospital for surgery to treat a single gunshot wound to the thigh. The terrifying ordeal began about 12.15am. Driving his black Mazda 3 hatchback along The Grand Parade, in Sutherland, two men in an unregistered red Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive began tailending the car.
As they approached the intersection of Linden St, the four wheel drive slammed into the rear of the Mazda, causing extensive damage to the vehicle and leaving shattered glass strewn across two lanes. Police are searching for the two men, who fled the scene in a waiting silver getaway car with an undisclosed amount of cash, taken from the rear seat of the Mazda. Paul Archer, a panel beater, woke to hear the "pop" of gunshots and rose to find the Mazda lodged in his driveway fence. "Who knows, the car might turn up at the shop later," he said. Police say they are yet to identify a motive for the vicious attack, but say it is unlikely to have occured at random.
Detectives believe two men may have driven the Mazda SP23 silver getawy car and are urging anyone with information to come forward to assist.