HITCHHIKERS are becoming more vulnerable to robberies, especially heading towards the festive season.
This comes after three hitchhikers were robbed of over R12 000, cellphones and bank cards in different incidents in Polokwane and Westenburg, Limpopo, over the past week.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe warned the public against hitchhiking and giving lifts to hitchhikers as this could lead to robbery.
The warning follows an incident on Thursday, 19 October, where a 55-year-old man hitchhiked in a Suzuki Swift vehicle near Mall of the North in Polokwane going to Ga-Dikgale Village.
Limpopo police spokesman Hlulani Mashaba said three unknown suspects in the vehicle allegedly took the wrong direction. They stopped, produced pistols and a knife and robbed him of his cellphone, wallet containing R400 cash and bank cards, all valued at R5 400.
“They then ordered him to run to the bushes before driving off,” he said.
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In another incident in Westenburg on Friday, 20 October, two victims, aged 24 and 25, were hitchhiking to Steiloop and Lephalale and received a lift from a silver Tazz Conquest vehicle.
“The driver took a wrong direction, produced a firearm and robbed them of their cellphones, licences, bank cards, and other valuable items amounting to R7 000,” he said.
Mashaba said both the incidents follow a recent horrific incident along Georges Valley on Friday, 13 October, where a female motorist and a man offered a lift to two unknown men.
“The man who was driving along with the female was killed in the process, and the female was raped and left in the bushes. The vehicle was found burnt in Letsitele outside Tzaneen,” he said.
He said the three incidents are under investigation, and no one has been arrested.
