Weekend crime round-up
An overview of crimes reported to local SAPS from June 6 to 8.
The following crimes were reported to Brakpan police over the past weekend:
Friday – Two motorists fell victim to bogus cops along Heidelberg Road (R23). The first incident took place near the Elsburg Road intersection at around 09:00 when the driver of a white Kia was instructed to pull over by the occupants of a white Ford Ranger bakkie
Once stopped, the victim was approached by three men wearing EMPD vests, who asked for his driver’s licence. The trio then went back to their vehicle to inspect the licence, with one of the men returning to the victim shortly afterwards and instructing him to get out of the vehicle.
Once the victim got out of the vehicle, he was overpowered by the hijackers who forced him into their vehicle. They covered his eyes with a hat and then drove off with him.
When they stopped a short while later, the victim was placed in a different vehicle with three different men. They searched him and took his cellphone.
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These men told the victim they would release him once the tracker had been removed from the Kia. He was later dropped off in Soweto.
The second incident took place near the Boland Street intersection (Withok Estates) at about 11:30. This victim was also instructed to pull over by men he believed to be law enforcers.
These hijackers were travelling in a white Nissan double cab bakkie with blue lights. A man from the bakkie approached him and asked if he knew why he was being stopped.
When the victim replied no, the man told him it was a hijacking. The hijacker removed the keys from the ignition and told the victim to be quiet or he would shoot him.
He was forced to move over from the driver’s seat and two hijackers climbed into the Isuzu with him, and then drove off.
The victim was later bundled into a Ford Focus where he was blindfolded. He was then dropped off in Katlethong. The hijackers also robbed him of his wallet containing bank cards and cash, and his cellphone.
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Saturday – Two hijackings were reported. The driver of a grey Mahindra bakkie was robbed of the vehicle by the occupants of a Volkswagen Polo.
The incident took place along Prince George Avenue in Brenthurst at around 14:00. The victim was stationary at a red traffic light when the Polo, with four occupants, blocked the road.
Three men with guns got out of the Polo and climbed into the bakkie. The victim was instructed to tail the Polo and he followed the vehicle to the Plastic City informal settlement.
One of the hijackers then struck him with a firearm and he lost consciousness. When the victim later woke up he found he had been tied up with rope and left in a shack in the settlement. He untied himself and sought help.
The second hijacking took place along Civin Road in Sonneveld later that evening. The driver of a white Volkswagen Golf 7 TSI watched in horror as hijackers drove off with his passengers still in the car.
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The man and two friends had arrived at a complex along the street at around 20:00 and parked at the entrance. As the driver exited the vehicle, a silver BMW parked next to the Golf and four men with firearms got out of the car.
The driver ran to a nearby complex, and saw the hijackers drive off in the Golf.
• A TV was stolen during a break-in at a home along Witpoortjie Road in Rand Collieries.
• Bags of potatoes, energy drinks and other items were stolen during a burglary at a business along 12th Road in Maryvlei.
A suspect was apprehended and handed over to Brakpan SAPS.
Sunday – A black Honda scooter was stolen from an address along Mitchell Crescent in Brenthurst.
• A home in Kirkpatrick Avenue, Sherwood Gardens, was burgled of a laptop and a TV.
