Carletonville police rescue kidnapped man after dramatic cross-province chase
Officers tracked the suspects’ vehicle from Potchefstroom to Carletonville, located the injured victim in a veld near Blyvooruitzicht, and arrested three suspects who are set to appear in court.
Fast work by members of the police in Carletonville ensured that a man who was kidnapped in North West over the weekend was safely returned home.
Colonel Adele Myburgh, the spokesperson for the police in North West, says authorities were informed of a kidnapping in Klerksdorp at approximately 11:30 on February 21.
The victim (48) was travelling with a friend when an unknown man approached their car. The stranger asked to speak with the victim, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
When the driver stepped out of the vehicle, the stranger grabbed the victim and forced him into into a gold-coloured Toyota Hilux bakkie.
The driver went straight to the police in Klerksdorp to report the case. Officers immediately started with investigations and alerted various other local and specialist police units, including hostage negotiators, of the kidnapping.
Thanks to the good description the victim’s friend gave of the suspected bakkie, the police were able to track the bakkie down in Potchefstroom.
They followed the bakkie as it drove onto the R501 toward Carletonville and also notified the police in Carletonville that the bakkie was heading in that direction.
Members of the Carletonville Dog Unit and Crime Prevention stopped the bakkie, but found that the kidnapped victim was not inside. They were, however, able to get information that the victim was held in a veld close to Blyvooruitzicht.
Police rushed to the old Blyvoor Nursery area where they discovered a man who had been severely beaten.
Officers rescued the victim from the open veld and quickly moved to detain those believed to be responsible. Three suspects were arrested at the scene in connection with the assault.
During the operation, police also seized a bakkie linked to the incident.
The suspects are due to appear in the Oberholzer Magistrate’s Court.
Myburgh says that the case will most probably be referred back to the North West as the crime started there. While kidnappings are sadly more frequent in Carletonville, the situation in the North West remains different.
According to Myburgh, the crime is far less common in that province, with only two other reported cases known from the past year.
