White-car hijackers on the loose
Police: N12 hijackers mostly targeted Hundai H100s and other pickup trucks.
The Bekkersdal Police are warning motorists who use the N12 to be wary of bogus traffic police officers on the prowl on the road.
We are appealing to all our road users to be aware of this trend when driving along the N12. Never stop when an unmarked vehicle’s occupants signal you to pull over.
“Rather drive to a nearby police station or garage to be safe,” said Linkie Lefakane, Bekkersdal Police spokesperson.
The Bekkersdal Police have launched a manhunt for these bogus traffic-police officers that have been hijacking motorists on the N12.
Lefakane said the suspects usually dress in traffic police or Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) uniforms and they drive white cars.
“They are armed and are either in a white Golf, white Polo or a white VW Caddy,” she said. These hijackers also operate on the road to Zuurbekom.
Lefakane said they mostly targeted Hyundai H100s and other pickup trucks.
However, the hijacking trend on the N12 is not new. Bekkersdal Police have been getting reports of hijackings on the road since 2012. In the 2012 report, Lefakane said a man was driving along the N12 when he was stopped by a white VW Polo’s four male occupants. These men allegedly were wearing traffic-police uniforms.
They came towards his vehicle, two on the passenger side and two on the driver’s side. They demanded his licence and while he was trying to find it, one of them pointed a firearm at him and pushed him inside their vehicle.”
The man’s face allegedly was covered and they drove off with him, only to drop him off later in Jabulane, Soweto. The man reported the alleged crime to the Jabulane Police.
In separate incident, another man was driving on the N12 and overtook a white VW Caddy. “The same Caddy overtook him and stopped right in front of his vehicle. The victim stopped to prevent crashing into the back of the Caddy,” Lefakane explained.
The victim was approached by the driver and passenger who forced him at gunpoint to sit between the driver and passenger seats.
His eyes were covered and his hands tied. The suspects drove around with him and dropped him off at an unknown location. The victim later found his way to Protea Glen Police Station where he reported the matter.
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