Road spiking robberies: 6 vehicles damaged on N12 near Delmas

Six vehicles were victims of highway spiking gangs last night on the N12 near Delmas in both directions. The Middelburg Flying Squad, AfriForum’s Delmas Valke Proto Team, and Delmas SAPS had a challenging night securing the N12 and assisting robbery victims caught in the bandits’ reign of terror.

Gino Sansovini, a member of the Valke Proto Team, told the Middelburg Observer that his team of voluntary community watchmen conducted proactive patrols of the N12 after suspecting a night of criminal activity. They encountered a family of four, including a three-year-old child, stranded near the R42 – N12 off-ramp at 20:20.

The family had driven over a pile of rocks and had been robbed of their bank cards, cellphones, jewellery, and shoes. As the Valke members stopped to assist, they were joined by the Middelburg Flying Squad. “We asked the father if he could recall his Gmail login, and managed to trace one of the stolen cellphones to the Total Filling Station One Stop near eMalahleni,” Sansovini explains.

The Valke members and the Flying Squad hurried to the One Stop in hopes of apprehending the suspects, but the CCTV operator informed them that the suspects, travelling in a white Toyota Corolla, had just left in the direction of eMalahleni.

In their pursuit, the members encountered two more stranded vehicles, approximately 3km from the One Stop, on both sides of the highway. “We did not see the rocks and continued our pursuit when the Middelburg Flying Squad vehicle also struck a rock, forcing us to stop. We requested backup from the Delmas Police Station, secured the area, and assisted the other victims. When the Flying Squad vehicle was finally loaded onto a flatbed, we discovered another two stranded vehicles, bringing the total to five.”

Sansovini notes that after setting off again, yet another motorist fell victim as a bakkie struck a large pile of rocks nearby. As the Valke approached to assist, two suspects emerged from the bushes and attempted to rob the bakkie’s occupants. However, they fled on foot upon seeing the members. “We chased after them but lost their trail in the thick vegetation, allowing them to evade capture.”

Sansovini states that, of the six vehicles affected, no cases were reported to the SAPS, which means the police cannot investigate the incidents or maintain accurate statistics. He warns motorists of an increase in spiking incidents along the N12 after dark and urges vigilance.

• The AfriForum Delmas Valke Proto Team comprises five volunteers dedicated to crime prevention.
• A media inquiry regarding the incident involving the Flying Squad vehicle has been sent to the Mpumalanga spokesperson of the SAPS, but no response was received by the time of publication.

In a related incident, Pretoria Rekord reports that police have launched an investigation into a brazen armed robbery on the N1 highway. On Wednesday, a group of five men ambushed four people in a white VW Polo near Petroport.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk said that around 20:30, the victims were forced to stop after driving over rocks intentionally placed on the road. As they inspected the damage to their vehicle, the robbers emerged from the bushes, brandishing handguns and demanding valuables.

“The assailants swiftly robbed the group of their cellphones and wallets. One victim was struck in the head with a firearm,” Van Dyk said. Amid the chaos, the female victims managed to flee towards Petroport in search of help, leaving the male victim vulnerable to further assault. Fortunately, they alerted authorities, who quickly responded to the scene.

Law enforcement has since launched an investigation, opening cases of armed robbery and malicious damage to property. Van Dyk urged anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information about the suspects to come forward. Information can be reported at the nearest police station or by contacting the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.