Three Toyota Avanza taxis and a bakkie were hijacked in one week in Alex.
Police spokesperson Captain Allie Kodisang said they are investigating the cases.
The first incident occurred at 5pm on 9 May on Alfred Nzo Drive between 6th and 8th avenues. The victim, who was driving alone, stopped to pick up two passengers, one in a security guard uniform and the other wearing a work suit. One sat in the passenger seat and the other behind the driver. A short distance later, the two allegedly produced guns and forced the victim to drive to the Marlboro Testing Station where he was ordered into the back and kept in check with a gun.
Read: Hijackers in Alex promise victim his car back
The suspects drove to Sunninghill where they allegedly dropped the victim on the side of the road. The vehicle hasn’t been recovered.
Another Avanza taxi was allegedly hijacked at 10.30pm the following day by two suspects who also boarded the taxi on the corner of Alfred Nzo Drive and 4th Avenue. The victim was with his nephew and two other male passengers who were dropped off in Ext 7 but refused to pay.
A short distance away, the suspects produced guns and ordered the victim and nephew to stop and get out of the vehicle. They drove away in the vehicle, which hasn’t been recovered.
The third Avanza taxi, which had departed from Pan Africa Mall, was hijacked by three suspects at 7.30pm on 13 May also, on Alfred Nzo Avenue. The suspects boarded the vehicle at 4th Avenue. When the driver got to 6th Avenue, one of the suspects ordered him to stop and everyone to get out.
One of the suspects tried but failed to remove the radio from the dashboard, while the others searched and took cash and other items from the passengers before they got out. The armed suspect also took R450 from the driver before the three drove off in the taxi which hasn’t been recovered.
Read: Police investigate taxi hijacking
The fourth vehicle, a Nissan bakkie, was hijacked at 10.45pm the same day from its owner who was delivering groceries and other items to a shop in East Bank. Four men approached the vehicle and one armed with a gun knocked on the driver’s window and demanded the vehicle’s keys.
The victim jumped out and ran away. On the way, he met police officers on patrol who found and stopped the vehicle in East Bank with the suspects inside. They managed to escape together with cigarettes and airtime worth R9 000.
