The incredible rescue of a 2-year-old toddler in Western Cape

An operation involving the police, private security, and the flying squad led to the incredible rescue of a 2-year-old in the Western Cape.

On Friday around 15:00, the toddler was in school transport after being picked up from pre-school in Grabouw when an unknown man jumped in the vehicle speeding away.

The driver was allegedly idling outside the car waiting to pick up other kids at another school.

Heyns de Waal who safely took the child from the hijacked car said they received a report about a hijacked Avansa believed to be travelling in their direction.

“We got a report of a hijacking at a school, a baby was in a school shuttle and the driver left the vehicle to go fetch other kids at the next school. 

“The suspect got in and drove off,” a chief operating officer at Gordon Bay Security Heyns de Waal said.

Speaking to The Citizen Heyns said the Gordons Bay police, the flying squad, Metro police and all available neighbourhood watch were all notified.

Tracking the suspect

The security company worked with the tracker company and road camera control to track the routes the suspect drove at.

“The camera picked up the car travelling to Hermanus not to our direction so we relaxed a bit, all we could do was say a silent prayer.” Heyn said.

Around 15h45 the cameras picked up the suspect driving to Kleinmond in their direction.

They implemented a roadblock on the R44 in an area where the hijacked vehicle would come to a slight bend.

“We went around the mountain and we set up a roadblock and we sent unmarked vehicles to come behind the vehicle to avoid the suspect reversing and driving away,” Heyns added.

The suspect speed came to a slow ram where all the vehicles were waiting, suspect got out of the car and on the ground where Heyns took the child from the car to the medical team for assessment.

“The child was unharmed but asking for his mommy all the time,” said Heyns.

He said the suspect was unarmed and taken to the Gordon Bay police station.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Heyns detailed the events of that day.

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