Boksburg police arrested a gang of 10 men believed to be involved in the series of robberies involving a white Toyota Quantum in 2018.
About six similar cases were reported in Boksburg before the recent surge in this type of crime.
Authorities say there is a noted resurgence in robberies committed by gangs of criminals driving in what resemble minibus taxis in Ekurhuleni.
According to the EMPD spokesperson, Kobeli Mokheseng, their media and public relations office is of late inundated with calls from commuters complaining they were robbed aboard moving minibus taxis in and around the City of Ekurhuleni.
He said in the latest incident, a woman in her late-20s reported that at about 2pm on January 23 she got into a taxi on Black Reef Road near the Reef Shopping Mall in Dinwiddie, and was destined for Germiston CBD.
“As the white Toyota Quantum minibus taxi, with five men including the driver, was moving, four of the men she initially thought were fellow passengers took out knives and a gun and started assaulting her.
“They then took her jewellery, cellphone, a purse containing R450 cash and a bank card. Using the banking app on her phone, the robbers transferred a R1 000 voucher to themselves and immediately withdrew it.
“After the about two-hour-long ordeal, the injured and disoriented victim was dumped on the side of the roadway next to the cemetery in Primrose.
“A good Samaritan came to her aid and they went to the nearest police station before she was rushed to the nearest hospital by ambulance for medical treatment,” said Mokheseng.
To make the situation even worse, the victim told police she later discovered the thugs also accessed her other bank account and spent about R10 000 of her money on a shopping spree.
In another attack, on February 5, a man in his 30s was also robbed while in a white Toyota Quantum minibus taxi by a gang of thugs using the same modus operandi.
“It was at about 2pm when the commuter got into the taxi on Sontonga Road, next to the Caltex garage in Katlehong, destined for Germiston. He was then attacked and robbed of his belongings by the people he thought were fellow passengers,” said Mokheseng.
Mokheseng pointed out that SAPS, in partnership with the EMPD Taxi Task Team and other law enforcers, are investigating these crimes.
Members of the community and taxi commuters are advised to be alert at all times and requested to report any criminal activity to the nearest EMPD precinct, police station or to dial 08600 10111 or 112 on their cellphones.
Also Read: ‘I pleaded with them not to kill me’ – victim of Trichardts Road taxi robbery
Also Read: Four arrested in taxi commuter robbery
