Hijackings and cash-in-transit robberies appear to be happening more frequently in Hibberdene, Kokstad and Harding.
Harding police are investigating a case of cash-in-transit robbery after armed men allegedly robbed a cash delivery truck of an undisclosed amount of money in Stafford Street in Harding on March 22.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said it was reported that the cash delivery security guards had just collected money from a client when they were ambushed by the gunmen who shot at the cash delivery truck.
“They also robbed the security guards of their firearms.”
The latest police crime statistics revealed that about 60 vehicles are hijacked in South Africa every day.
In the latest quarterly crime statistics for 2023/24 (April to June), the Saps stated that 5 488 cars were hijacked.
Hendrick Ludick of Airtrack X-Treme Security said they have been kept busy in the last few months.
“We get many requests from clients to track and recover hijacked vehicles. In many cases we manage to recover the vehicle and make arrests.”
Ludick explained that they recently recovered a vehicle, which in a few hours was fitted with false registration plates belonging to a similar vehicle.
“One bullet hole was found in the windscreen. Without a known branded tracking unit, this vehicle would have been lost.”
He said the danger is that most of the hijackers are armed.
“We have had cases where the drivers and passengers of hijacked vehicles are either shot at, assaulted or stabbed.”
However, Ludick said that they have a 98 % success recovery rate. “Unfortunately sometimes they are not always successful in recovering stolen vehicles, as poor network and or signal jamming by the suspects results in lost communication with the vehicle tracking unit,” he said.
Ugu District’s Saps communication department said criminals often perpetrate hijacking of trucks carrying various cargo to obtain a large amount of property and goods in one act of robbery.
Drivers are asked to be especially aware of vehicles travelling close behind them and for a long period of time.
It is also advisable to try and avoid driving on detour roads that are not conducive to horse and trailers or heavy freight vehicles, as the driver must reduce speed.
Support vehicles are encouraged to accompany the cargo vehicle on certain parts of the route travelled.
The Saps has tasked certain units to patrol areas susceptible to hijackings and to enhance police visibility.
If any suspicious vehicles are seen or travelling behind a truck, contact the nearest police station or Crimestop on 086000 10111.
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