Lee McCall (1950 – 30 January 1984) was a member of the Stander Gang, a group of three escaped convicts who went on a bank robbing spree in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

from October 1983 until February 1984. The group was named for Andre Stander, who gained fame for having been a Captain of Detectives in the

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

Police when he started his individual crime spree before being arrested. The third member was

Allan Heyl George Allan Heyl (died April 17, 2020) was a South African criminal, member of the Andre Stander, Stander Gang. Heyl met his accomplices André Stander and Lee McCall in 1977, while they were in prison together (Heyl had been sentenced in 1977 ...

. Lee McCall was the only gang member with whom the

n police managed to catch up before he could flee the country. Several

call girls A call girl or female escort is a prostitute who (unlike a street walker) does not display her profession to the general public, nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency.

who the gang had employed at their

safehouse A safe house (also spelled safehouse) is a dwelling place or building whose unassuming appearance makes it an inconspicuous location where one can hide out, take shelter, or conduct clandestine activities. Historical usage It may also refer to ...

from time to time assisted the police in locating the hideout. They moved on the location early in the morning on 30 January 1984. At the time that their

SWAT A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...

units surrounded the house, only McCall was present. Stander was in

Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale ( ) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and most populous city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it ...

trying to get a rented house on his name. Heyl was still in South Africa, possibly at one of the gang's two other safehouses. McCall wouldn't surrender himself. He instead starting looking out of several windows in different rooms, attempting to ascertain whether the policemen were trying to maneuver their way into the house surreptitiously. He then shot himself.

References

South African bank robbers South African gangsters 1950 births 1984 deaths South African people of British descent South African people of Irish descent South African people imprisoned abroad People extradited from the United Kingdom People extradited to South Africa Suicides by firearm in South Africa {{Crime-bio-stub