Bodyboarders hijack Paddock man
The Paddock man was held at gunpoint by the two teenagers.
TWO young bodyboarders thumbed down a kindly Paddock man and then hijacked him on Monday this week.
Martin Lawrence (33) stopped on the Margate on-ramp after noticing two boys carrying a bodyboard, and signalling that they wanted a lift to Port Shepstone.
“Thinking of my own past and how difficult it was to get to places without wheels, I decided to stop and help them,” said Mr Lawrence.
After paying the toll fees at Marburg, the boys produced firearms. The boy in the back held his gun to Mr Lawrence’s head.
“I couldn’t take them on so I had to co-operate. They demanded to be taken to Umtentweni at first and then back to Margate Extension Three,” said Mr Lawrence.
Then they demanded to be taken to Port Edward.
En route, Mr Lawrence was forced to stop the vehicle at Trafalgar and was instructed to get out of the car.The boys then drove off towards Port Edward.
“Luckily I had my cellphone, but there was no signal. I tried to stop a few motorists, but they raced by,” he said.
He started to walk to Ramsgate and tried flagging down two passing traffic officials and a police vehicle, but they also ignored him.
Eventually, he managed to get a signal and phoned a friend to pick him up about six hours after he was hijacked.
Mr Lawrence was taken to the Margate SAPS and explained what had happened.
However, he was then told he had to open the case at Port Shepstone since the incident occurred in Marburg.
The latter were more helpful.
“I heard the police forwarding information to other policemen,” he said.
Ironically, the next day he received an SMS informing him that his case had been transferred back to Margate SAPS.
His vehicle was recovered near Ramsgate yesterday..
“From now on I will never trust anyone wanting a lift. I would like to thank Port Shepstone SAPS for the assistance, but I am rather disappointed with Margate SAPS for not reacting to my situation immediately,” said Mr Lawrence.
Police spokesman, Captain Gerald Mfeka said Margate detectives were investigating.
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