Six-year-old boy protects baby sister while hijackers attempt to rob Witbank family

Each day, countless lives are put at risk as thieves will do anything to get their hands on people’s loot.

Hester Boshoff, 50, and Bernadine Brits, 29, told Witbank News they still couldn’t believe how lucky they were to get away scot-free after a narrow escape in the town’s CBD on Tuesday.

Hester stopped at a red light while driving her white Land Rover. Before she could comprehend what was happening, the car was surrounded by five men.

One of the men pushed his hand through a partially open window, and tried to grab the car radio’s remote control, which looks like a cell phone.

After realising that it was not a phone, he opened two car doors from the inside, while his accomplices ripped open the two remaining doors.

The risk was too high for Hester and Bernadine not to fight back, because seated in the back was their six-year-old son, Jayden Brits, and their three-week-old daughter, Janeske Brits.

Jayden’s first reaction was to shield Janeske, seated in her booster seat, with his body.

While the thieves scurried to find handbags and loose possessions in the car, Jayden was quick to observe a nearby police car that happened to be patrolling the CBD.

The officers quickly realised that something was wrong and rushed to help the terrified family.

The suspects were subsequently arrested.

“I don’t know where I would’ve gotten the strength to get the thieves away from us. If it wasn’t for the police, I don’t know what would’ve happened next.

“I also want to thank the officers’ professional demeanour regarding how they handled the incident, and how they assisted us,” said a grateful Hester.

No injuries were incurred in the attempted robbery, and no items were damaged or stolen.

This article was translated from Afrikaans by Nica Schreuder 

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