The previous week saw a rash of hijackings in our city; it is an awful truth that motorists are in danger of encountering this common violent criminal crime while travelling regularly.
The new month has begun, and it begins with Thabo Petros being hijacked while waiting for the green light.
Petros considers him extremely fortunate to be alive following the Wednesday, March 1 incident that placed him in hospital.
“I was stabbed in the lower stomach and back during the hijacking, but I’m grateful to be alive,” he said.
“I suppose these criminals have been watching me and I wasn’t aware,” Petros claims.
According to Petros, the incident happened after nine o’clock on his trip home when he pulled over at the Kiepersol Street robots and two suspects from a white car approached the driver and the passenger doors respectively.
They were attempting to steal his car; he resisted them, and two more suspects arrived to help them.
They dragged him out of his vehicle and stabbed him.
He further stated that the suspects fled with his car, bank cards, and phone.
“Since these criminals are everywhere, you must always be cautious while driving and always lock the doors.”
Petros sought assistance in locating his Hyundai Accent with registration number FVP 766 MP, and anyone with information can call Witbank Police Station at 013 655 5052.
In the other incident, Markus Magashole’s son was hijacked by four unknown suspects on Thursday, March 2 at around 19:00.
According to Magashole, the car was being driven by his son, who was travelling alone at the time of the incident.
The incident is said to have happened when the complainant stopped his vehicle at the Watermeyer off-ramp to the N12.
He was approached by unknown suspects who asked if he was heading to Delmas.
Another suspect on the side shut off his vehicle’s ignition before strangling him with a belt and pulling him inside; the other two suspects were already inside.
The suspects escaped with the complainant’s car, sneakers and phone after blindfolding him and abandoning him somewhere around Delmas.
Since carjackings are on the rise in the city, here are some more carjacking prevention tips from the South African Police Service (SAPS):
- Have your key ready, but not visible.
- Inspect the outside and inside of the vehicle before unlocking (tyres, number plates, and both sides of the vehicle).
- Know your destination and directions to it, and be alert, should you get lost.
- Always drive with your windows closed and doors locked.
- Make a mental note of any police stations in the vicinity.
- When stopping behind another vehicle, leave half a vehicle length in front of your vehicle to make an emergency escape, if necessary.
- When dropping off a passenger, make sure they are safely in their vehicle before departing.
- Avoid driving through high crime or unfamiliar areas.
- Avoid driving late at night / early hours of the morning when the roads are quiet.
- Drive in the centre lane, away from pedestrians, where possible.
- If possible, never drive alone.
- Never pick up hitchhikers or strangers.
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