Would-be hijacking victim lives to tell the tale

Man held up at gunpoint in attempted hijacking by four suspects but lives to tell the tale.

The Bekkersdal Police arrested the four young criminals on the same day the matter was reported. File photo/ Roxy de Villiers

Four young would-be hijackers were arrested shortly after trying to hijack a foreign man’s bakkie at gunpoint recently.

The suspects’ ages range between a mere 18 and 27. They were arrested at about 8am on Sunday, 12 February, as Sergeant Linkie Lefakane, Bekkersdal Police’s spokesperson confirmed.

The victim was allegedly driving along Mosidi Street, Bekkersdal in a Toyota Hilux bakkie when suddenly a silver/ grey BMW X5 stopped in front of him and four people exited the vehicle.

One of the young men pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered him to get out of his vehicle and hand over its keys. The man did not do any of what was asked, and sped off to the Bekkersdal Police Station instead, to report the matter.

The victim managed to give the police a description of the vehicle the hijackers were driving and they swiftly responded to the complaint.

Shortly afterwards, the officers arrested all four would-be hijackers, and charged them with attempted hijacking and being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The four young men appeared before the Westonaria Magistates’ Court on Valentine’s Day.

The Bekkersdal Police station commander, Colonel Mbangwa Nkhwashu, is pleased with his officers’ swift reaction to the case and applauded them for making a same-day arrest.

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