Following the G4S cash in transit heist, an eight-month pregnant woman was the first of five to be hijacked as the suspects evaded police pursuit.
On December 7 the staff at Incredible Connection were working late to prepare for the promotion that was to be run the next day.
Employees heard a bang and screams for help at the doors. It was Ms Juanita Jacobs, wife to Mr Sarel Jacobs, the sales manager, she had just been hijacked.
“My wife works at Bubbly Hippos, I went to go pick her up at around 17:45 and we headed back to the mall,” said Sarel.
Juanita chose to remain in the car as it wasn’t expected for Sarel to be long in store. He added that his wife wasn’t keen on walking up to the shop that evening and had left the car keys with her so she could open the windows if need be.
“She always felt safe waiting in the car as there are cameras and security in the underground parking and she didn’t mind waiting some nights when I worked late to prepare the store for promotions,” said Sarel.
Juanita was sitting in the passenger seat of their gold Toyota Etios when a white Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI came racing into the underground parking. Six suspects were reported to have exited the vehicle and made their way towards the Etios.
They broke the driver’s window and gained entry to the vehicle. They then forced Juanita from the car at gunpoint. One of the suspects held Juanita’ s arm firmly as the other suspects transferred the money from the Golf 7 to the Etios.
“She pleaded for her life, telling them that she was pregnant,” said her husband.
A security guard came walking down the parking lot, when one of the suspects retrieved an R5-assault rifle from the vehicle and paraded it. As this took place the last of the money was transferred between the cars and one of the suspects rushed the others to get in. The grip on Juanita’s arm loosened and she managed to break free from the suspect and fled the scene. She made her way up the escalator and headed straight to her husband.
“While working we heard screams for help, we couldn’t make out who it was, then my wife came running to the door and began banging at the door as she screamed for help, frightened for her life,” said Sarel.
Sarel, shocked to see her in the state she was in, paused for a moment before opening the door.
“She told me, they took your car, they took your car, as she cried in my arms.”
Sarel attempted to calm his wife down reassuring her that they had insurance on the car and that she should think of the baby.
Mr Reinier Rossouw, the branch manager, alerted police and went down to the parking lot with security to see what had happened.
“I remained with my wife to help calm her down and asked Shaun Snyman one of our employees, if he wouldn’t mind taking the two of us to hospital, I was worried about the shock my wife had gone through,” said Sarel.
She was taken to Life Cosmos Hospital where she was admitted as she was 32 weeks pregnant, she was kept under observation with her husband remaining at her side for as long as he could. She was discharged Friday morning.
“She is doing well now, they are just monitoring her and our daughter to make sure everything will be alright,” said Sarel, relieved that his daughter Mílandri, is in safe hands.
Surviving the ordeal of a hijacking the Jacobs couple can now look forward to the birth of their baby girl come end of January 2017.
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