Police curb truck hijacking, arrest 23 suspects

The arrests follow a multi-disciplinary team comprising members from SAPS Crime Intelligence, Johannesburg Flying Squad, Gauteng Highway Patrol, EMPD Specialised Task Team and JMPD K9.

At the time, the suspects were allegedly planning to hijack a truck between Pretoria and Johannesburg.

According to Brig Vishnu Naidoo, as the team entered President Park in Midrand, they were met with a hail of bullets, fired by some of the suspects armed with rifles and handguns.

“There were 27 suspects on the premises, four suspects were shot and killed, while four others were wounded. A total of 23 suspects were arrested,” said Naidoo.

Naidoo said the team seized three rifles, including an AK-47 rifle, a dash brown rifle, an R5 rifle, as well as two pistols.

The team confiscated 15 vehicles, four which were either hijacked or stolen in Garsfontein, Silverton, Wierdaburg and Olifantsfontein.

“The wounded suspects were taken to hospital under police guard, while the remaining 19 suspects are being detained on charges of attempted murder, conspiring to commit armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms, ammunition and the possession of vehicles suspected to stolen.”

Sitole said the work done by this multidisciplinary integrated team is a significant contribution to law enforcement’s effort to curb organised crime.

Police continue to appeal to anyone who has any information to contact the SAPS’s Crime Stop on 086 00 10111.

Alternatively, information may be communicated via the MySAPS App.

All information will be treated with strict confidence and callers may remain anonymous.