THREE alleged truck hijackers were dealt a bad hand by fate when they were arrested by traffic officers and a very brave civilian in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, on Friday.
Police spokesperson Gerda Swart said it was alleged that two armed suspects hijacked the driver of a Mercedes truck that was transporting cake flour on the N2.
Swart said a traffic officer on duty and patrolling the N2, oblivious of the hijacking that just took place a few minutes ago, noticed the driver of the said truck talking on his cellphone.
“He instructed him to pull over on the side of the freeway. As the driver stopped, two males jumped out of the truck and climbed into a white Renault Sandero and sped off,” said Swart.
“The driver of the truck then informed the traffic officers that the truck was hijacked by the two fleeing suspects.”
A member of the community, who was also at the scene, immediately gave chase after the suspects in his private vehicle.
The driver of the white Renault Sandero lost control of the vehicle when he drove onto the off-ramp and landed in the bushes.
Swart said three suspects, between the ages of 23 and 30, were arrested and a firearm was also confiscated.
The three are due to appear in the Motherwell Magistrates Court on charges of vehicle hijacking, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition and reckless and negligent driving.
Swart said the firearm will be sent for ballistic testing.
She said further investigations revealed that the Renault Sandero was stolen in December 2020 in Motherwell.
A charge of possession of a suspected stolen vehicle was also being added.
Acting Mount Road Cluster Commander Brigadier Thandiswa Kupiso applauded the excellent arrests by the traffic officers as well as the brave community member for their vigilance and swift reaction.
