Hijackers give cops a headache, make off with pallets of Grand-Pa painkillers

A group of robbers have made off with six pallets of Grand-Pa painkillers after attacking a delivery van on Old Grahamstown Road in Port Elizabeth, at around 2am on Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed the incident and said that no one was injured, and that no arrests had been made yet.

“It is alleged that the men were able to access the truck by breaking the window on the passenger’s side of the truck and forced the driver and passenger out of the truck,” said Janse van Rensburg.

According to Janse van Rensburg the gang struck in a white bakkie as the truck was approaching a traffic circle at an intersection with Paterson Road.

“The bakkie with four occupants drove in front of the truck, forcing it to stop.

“They tied up the driver and the passenger and put them in the back of the van before the suspects drove off with the truck,” said Janse van Rensburg.

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“After a while the truck stopped and the suspects offloaded six pallets, before abandoning the truck, as well as the driver and the passenger, at the Cerebos salt pans near Coega.”

Janse van Rensburg said that they had no idea why the painkillers would be a target for thieves.

Janse van Rensburg urged drivers to constantly be aware of their surroundings, especially when slowing down or stopping at a traffic light.

According to Professor Kerrin Begg Grand-Pa painkillers are similar to aspirin but slightly stronger, and if overused can cause harm.

Begg also said that for rescheduled meds that were previously bought over the counter, people tend to look for them in the informal market if they are restricted when buying over the counter.

“If I remember correctly Grand-Pa was rescheduled for a while because it is a form of aspirin. It is just a quite strong version of it. If not monitored and overused it can really cause harm like stomach ulcers and indigestion.”

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