A Boksburg East resident, Machteld Maritz, shares the horrific hijack ordeal that recently left her battered, bruised, dejected and desperate in Voortrekker Road.
The victim was ambushed by carjackers at around 6.30am as she was leaving her home in an Opel Corsa bakkie to go to work on September 5.
Maritz was threatened with a firearm, beaten and left rolling on the sidewalk.
“I parked my bakkie about a metre away from the gate and got out to close the gate.
“The key was still in the ignition. All of a sudden I heard someone shouting. I turned around to find a balaclava-clad man aiming a gun at my head and shouting ‘I’m going to shoot and kill you’.
“I couldn’t run away because he was too close already and the gate was closed,” said Maritz.
The thugs arrived in another vehicle, described as a white Toyota, parked nearby.
“The guy who held the gun to my face was aggressive and kept pushing the gun closer against my head, consistently swearing and shouting at me: ‘I will shoot you, I will shoot you’. I feared the worst,” said Maritz.
This, however, didn’t stop Maritz from trying to save her bakkie. She tried to reach for the key in the ignition, but a tussle ensued.
She was overpowered before she could reach the key. “The man with the gun punched me on the chin, neck and chest before throwing me on the sidewalk. The last thing I remember is shaking uncontrollably.”
The gunman jumped into the bakkie and drove off at high speed. The other vehicle followed him.
The thugs fled with the victim’s cellphone, lunch box and handbag.
Someone reportedly witnessed the incident and called the police who are said to have arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.
“I thought I was going to die when the man held the gun to my face. It was a scary moment.
“Although I was scared to death, I suppose it was my instinct that made me put up a fight. A really dangerous thing to do, but I wasn’t willing to let them have my bakkie.
“I couldn’t see the guy’s face. All I could see was the gun, his eyes and that he was a tall man. In fact, I will never forget this guy’s eyes.
“The hijacking ordeal took less than a minute. Everything happened very quickly. Thankfully, I survived the ordeal and I’m still alive,” she said.
After discovering that Maritz wasn’t feeling comfortable to go home after the ordeal, a good friend took her to her residence where she stayed for two days, processing what she had gone through.
Maritz said the thugs looked like they knew she was about to exit the yard, saying she suspects they are part of a highly organised hijacking syndicate, which assigns spotters to monitors residents’ movements in the area before they strike.
Maritz has opened a case of hijacking and said the tracking device in her vehicle offered hope that her bakkie would be recovered.
After a difficult day and night trying to process what had happened to her, Maritz received a call from a family friend informing her that her bakkie has been recovered in Benoni.
The car radio, her handbag and lunch box were missing.
Maritz said she was stunned by the empathy, friendliness, urgency and efficiency of the vehicle recovery company and the police.
“They were very good and I also appreciate the support I received from friends who, after what I went through, made me feel genuinely cared for,” she said.
The incident was not Maritz’s first brush with violent crime. Three years ago she was also robbed of her handbag during a smash-and-grab in Germiston.
She said both incidents served as an eye-opener. She said it showed her one can fall victim to crime anywhere, therefore she is now always on high alert, keeping her doors locked and windows closed at all times.
Some tips to avoid a hijacking:
Dialdirect offers the following tips on how to avoid becoming a victim:
- Always be aware of your surroundings and look out for anything suspicious.
- Remain vigilant while filling your car with fuel, especially at night. Keep doors locked and windows closed while filling up, and only open the window when it is time to pay. Keep an eye out for suspicious movement, especially in your vehicle’s blind spot.
- Do not trust someone who offers you a drink out of the blue, or who suggests you accompany them to a different venue for a drink. Don’t be fooled by the appearance of people who approach you. Maintain a healthy sense of scepticism – hijackers often don’t look like criminals.
- If you are at all unsure of whether the vehicle trying to pull you over is actually an official police vehicle, remain calm, switch on your vehicle’s hazard lights to show you are prepared to cooperate and drive to the nearest police station.
- Be vigilant while at home and keep security gates locked to prevent assailants gaining entry to your home. Ensure you are aware of where your alarm panic buttons are and that your security company will respond when this is activated. It is also wise to keep your vehicle’s spare keys in a safe place, out of sight, and do not leave the primary key in the vehicle when parked in your garage.
- Be vigilant when arriving home and ensure there is sufficient lighting at the entrance to your property. Be aware of suspicious vehicles following you, and if you suspect you are being followed, make a couple of false turns if need be, and then drive to the nearest police station.
- Make sure the way you approach your driveway does not make it is difficult to escape if another vehicle stops behind you. Open your driveway gate while approaching, and not only after you have stopped in front of it. When driving, leave enough room between you and the car in front of you to avoid being boxed in.
- Use a GPS to avoid getting lost and becoming an easy target. Inform someone of your destination and your estimated time of arrival.
- Limit distractions, such as checking or talking on your cellphone, when walking to or from your car. Avoid distractions while driving.
- Avoid driving with windows open, keep doors locked and lock valuables out of sight. Install smash-and-grab window protection if possible.
- Slow down in such a way that the light is green by the time you reach a traffic light, especially late at night. This prevents you from coming to a complete stop and reduces your risk of becoming a target.
- Always park in a safe, well-lit area.
- Check the back seat before getting into the car, even if you left it locked.
There are also eight golden rules to follow if you are confronted by a hijacker:
- Remain calm.
- Do not argue.
- Do not make sudden gestures.
- Use the hand closest to the safety belt clip to unbuckle if asked to leave the vehicle.
- Avoid eye contact but try to remember what the carjacker looked like by identifying and remembering special features.
- Comply with the hijacker’s directions (within reason).
- Try and get away from the area as quickly as possible.
- Don’t be a hero. Your life is worth more than your car.
ALSO READ:
Boksburg woman’s terrifying hijack ordeal
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