LYDENBURG – The local police discovered a stolen bakkie on the R36 which was hijacked in Lulekani, Phalaborwa on Monday night.
This followed after they received a call from Ohrigstad police requesting backup to track down the vehicle.
According to Capt Alfred Kaizer Moela, they were alerted to be on the lookout for a white Ford Ranger that was travelling on the R36, from Ohrigstad to Lydenburg.
“A woman was robbed at gunpoint by three men while she was in the Lulekani area – they were driving a Ford Ranger.
According to the victim, the suspects stopped her and approached her car with a gun pointed at her. Two of the suspects climbed into the car, tied her hands with ropes, drove off and dumped her in the bushes between Lulekani and Giyani.
“She managed to loosen her hands and rushed to the Giyani Police Station to report the incident. The Ohrigstad police informed us that the suspects were driving towards Lydenburg.
“The hijacked vehicle and the suspects’ get-away bakkie were driven into town together. When they arrived in Lydenburg, they decided to drive back to Ohrigstad. At this point, the police had already started following the stolen car.
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“When the suspects realised what was happening, they decided to increase the speed and drove into the bushes close to Skhila on the R36, to try and hide. The police fired a shot at one of the vehicle’s tyres and it slowed down. The suspects jumped out of the car and started running away. The police chased after them but they managed to escaped.”
Moela said the suspects were still at large. It is suspected that the get-away vehicle was also stolen.
