Staff Reporter
Police are warning motorists in Heilbron to be extra vigilant of hijackers on the R57 road from Zamdela.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement at least nine hijackings have been reported in the area since the beginning of this month.
“The most recent incident took place on Saturday . . . at about 17:20,” he said.
“The driver was stopped by four unknown males who were standing on the side of the road on the R57 Deneysville crossing pretending to be seeking directions.
“When he stopped, they attacked and overpowered him.
“They took the driver and put him in the back seat of the car and drove . . . to an open field in Randfontein in Gauteng province where they dropped him off after they badly assaulted him.”
Makhele said quite often the hijackers target motorists who stop by the side of the road to relieve themselves.
The criminals are also said to pose as hitch-hikers on the R82 four-way-stop crossing on the Amelia Section and R57 Deneysville crossing.
The hijackers are said to move in groups of three or four and are mostly male.
Some are said to speak Zulu and usually start operating from about 5pm.
According to Makhele, some of the vehicles they use include a white Polo, a white Ford Ranger, a white Fortuner and a white Toyota Corolla.
Three of the suspects are said to be armed with handguns.
Meanwhile, three suspects were arrested Thursday evening on the N1 near Tierpoort after they were found driving vehicles suspected to have been stolen.
In a separate statement, police said the three alleged criminals were intercepted by the newly formed Mangaung Metro Task Team after receiving a tip-off from the vehicle tracking company Tracker.
Two Toyota Hilux vehicles had been reported stolen at a hospital in Bellville, Cape Town, earlier that day.
“Luck ran out for the trio when they were stopped by the task team near Tierpoort at about 8pm,” the police said.
“During the operation a third vehicle, a white Toyota Fortuner, was also discovered.”
The three drivers aged between 33 and 46 were arrested and they are expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court soon.