POLICE have confirmed that the truck hijacked earlier today on Atlas Road was found dumped in Ebony Park near Midrand.

However, the cellphone cargo it was transporting was missing, Kempton police spokesperson, Capt Jethro Mtshali, said.

This comes after a security guard escorting the truck was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition, after being injured during a shootout between security and three armed hijackers.

The truck was being escorted by three security officers, travelling in separate cars, when the incident occurred just off the R21. The three armed men were allegedly travelling in an Audi and a white Mercedes Benz, Mtshali stated.

ER24 Spokesperson, Russel Meiring, confirmed that the security guard was found lying on the side of the road when paramedics arrived at the scene.

The 46-year-old had been shot in the face and his arm.

Alpha Security’s general manager, Mornè le Grange, confirmed that an eyewitness saw “one of the hijackers walk up to the officer’s vehicle, armed with an unknown firearm and fired shots at the vehicle”.

“When I arrived at the scene I found the guard bleeding profusely. He had a wound to his face and a very large wound in his upper right arm.

“I applied pressure to the wound on his arm while waiting for EMS to arrive. EMPD from Bonearo Park arrived and also assisted in giving first aid,”  Le Grange said.

The guard was treated at the scene and provided with numerous advanced life support interventions, before being airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.

The value of the cellphones is still unknown and no arrests have been made.

Truck hijacking investigations are currently underway and police appeal to anyone with information to call 08600-10111 or sms 32211.