Two ladies were the victims when they were hijacked, minutes apart. Ms Sophie Mhlambi was the first unfortunate victim on Wednesday, September 19 shortly after she dropped her children off at school.
She said on Tuesday, September 25, as she arrived home, the suspects closed the garage door with her on the inside of the car.
“It was dark and they used their cell phones for light. The garage door does not work with a remote and they stood next to my car door which was open. The suspects demanded my cell phone and car keys,” Mhlambi said
“I was actually on my way to work, I drive with a colleague and she was waiting for me at the gate. The suspects gave me back my phone and told me to tell her that I already left for work. They also asked for my house keys.”
She added that the suspects left her in the garage, when they drove off with her car.
Ms Maureen Scheepers, operations co-ordinator of the SACCW (South African Community Crime Watch) said that they received a call from a neighbour in the street, after the lady screamed frantically. The neighbour reported what just happened and police were dispatched to the area.
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“There was immediate response to the area, police and responders alike. We think the suspects knew the car was hot so they left it in Van Wyk Louw Street and hijacked another vehicle, and drove off with the victim inside the vehicle.”
According to police, the second victim was driving when the white Polo cut her off and she had to stop. One of the males then allegedly got out the Polo with a firearm in his hand while the second suspect also stood next to her vehicle.
The victim reported that the suspects allegedly tried to put her in the boot of the car but could not, so they drove off.
The Polo was left on scene.
The scene where a vehicle was recovered in Van Wyk Louw Street on Wednesday, September 19.
Scheepers confirmed that approximately two hours after the incident, the second victim was found on the Verena road, and her vehicle recovered in Kwaggafontein, but no arrests were made.
“Albert Holtzhausen from a towing company saw the abandoned Polo, the message was relayed to us and forensics and police were dispatched to the scene. The Polo was identified as the one of the first victim.”
It was reported to the Witbank Police that another vehicle was hijacked on September 18 at the N4-intersection. The victim told police that he was driving a Volkswagen Golf TSI and a black BMW came from behind and signalled with blue lights.
The victim told police that he did not stop and tried to run the BMW, but it soon caught up with him and he was forced off the road.
Four unknown males got out of the BMW, pointed the victim with a firearm and opened his door. He was forced to the back seat and the suspects drove on the N12 highway and stopped in a field in Etwatwa. The hands of the victim were tied and he was assaulted and left in the field.
He went to the road and a police vehicle came to his rescue.
