Cigarettes worth hundreds of thousands of rands were very nearly stolen during a daring hijacking on the R28 between Krugersdorp and Randfontein on 19 September.
According to Randfontein SAPS spokesperson, Captain Appel Ernst, the truck was driving from Krugersdorp in the direction of Randfontein when approximately 12 suspects, driving in three different vehicles, hijacked it and took the truck to the open veld behind the Uncle Harry’s Roadhouse.
There, the suspects transferred the cigarettes into one of their vehicles before speeding from the scene.
Unbeknownst to the hijackers, the drivers of the cigarette truck managed to get news to Fidelity Security before being overpowered.
“As the security reaction team, consisting of two vehicles, arrived at the scene, two vehicles sped away and approximately seven other suspects fled on foot into the surrounding veld, abandoning their vehicle,” says Ernst.
“One of the security vehicles opted to pursue the vehicles, while the other guards started firing at the fleeing suspects.
“They managed to arrest one suspect.
“The other security vehicle set off in pursuit of the fleeing vehicles and they managed to stop one of them in Roodepoort, where another two suspects were arrested and all the stolen cigarettes were recovered.”
Ernst says that both the driver and co-driver remain unaccounted for.
“It is currently unclear whether they have been kidnapped by the remaining suspects.”
Ernst has only praise for the reaction team from Fidelity.
“Their reaction time was very good and they conducted themselves very well.
“Thanks to them, three suspects are now in custody, which might help us in locating the rest of the suspects.
“They also prevented a major loss by recovering the stolen cigarettes.”
