Hijackers’ ‘guns’ found in recovered car

Two men who allegedly hijacked a car on Vincent Tshabalala Road before abandoning it on 20th Avenue, are on the run.

Alex Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Manare Ramotshela, said the vehicle, a red Ford Figo which is at the police pound, was hijacked at midday on 7 July from a man who live in South Hills, Joburg. He was hijacked while stopped at the intersection of Vincent Tshabalala Road and 13th Avenue.

They allegedly pointed a revolver and pistol at him from the passenger side. When the victim tried to attract other motorists’ and pedestrians’ attention, one of the gunmen moved to the driver’s side where he switched off the engine and pulled the man out. Ramotshela said an unknown motorist in a Kombi tried to help, but the hijackers pointed their guns at him before they got into the car and drove off into the township.

The victim was taken by the Kombi driver to the Alex Police Station where he reported the incident.

The stolen car, worth R100 000, was found abandoned the same day. The owner’s tablet was missing and, instead, police found the hijackers’ ‘guns’, said to be a toy pistol and an old, dysfunctional revolver held together with tape.

Ramotshela expressed concern at the number of hijackings said to occur regularly on Vincent Tshabalala and Lenin roads, which police classify as hotspots. He urged the public to help curb hijacking by reporting the registration numbers of unfamiliar vehicles parked near their homes to the police.

Details: Alex Police Station 011 321 7600.