Boschkop police have continued to intensify their operations on the N4 highway to keep motorists safe from spiking gangs.
Last year, several cases were reported in and around Pretoria where criminals robbed motorists by placing spikes on the roads forcing motorists to stop.
The criminals mostly operated around midnight and the early hours of the morning where they strategically placed spikes. Motorists would drive over the spikes, which resulted in the car losing control and stopping.
The criminals would then pounce on the helpless motorists.
Boschkop police spokesperson Sergeant Yeroboam Mbatsane said no cases were reported thus far at the station for 2022.
“We have sustained and intensified the patrols on at the identified hotspots. The SAPS highway patrol is holding daily patrols, together with other stakeholders. I think motorists are also adhering to the safety tips as well as avoiding driving at night. We are also conducting the awareness campaigns to increase awareness,” he said.
In one of the major spiking incidents last year, a man was robbed and shot by unknown men near Hammanskraal in September.
He was forced to stop on the highway after his tyres were damaged by an object on the road.
“Once the vehicle had stopped, he was approached by an unknown number of suspects who robbed and shot him,” Emer-G-Med said at the time.
Later that month, a Tshwane metro police officer was robbed of her firearm when her vehicle was spiked in the east of Pretoria.
She was on her way home after working the night shift when she got a tyre puncture on the R513 road. She stopped and went to check the damage.
“She was approached by two men who robbed her of her firearm, took all her belongings from the vehicle and left.
The following route sections were identified as hotspots:
– The N4 Mpumalanga to Pretoria between Solomon Mahlangu and Watermeyer offramp.
– The N4 Pretoria to Mpumalanga between Bronkhorstspruit and Balmoral offramp.
– The N1 Polokwane N4 Mpumalanga interchange in Pretoria.
– The N4 to Rustenburg between R80 Mabopane Freeway and Brits plaza tollgate.
– The Golden highway.
– R21 Freeway from OR Tambo International airport to Pretoria.
ALSO READ: Government plans quotas for foreign workers
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
