Another ‘blue-light’ robbery reported in Mbombela

Three Mozambican nationals were kidnapped and robbed at gunpoint near the Grove Shopping Centre in a ‘blue-light’ robbery on Wednesday night, January 10.

This is the fourth such robbery to have occurred in Mpumalanga in less than a week.

A provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said in this most recent incident, a man and his parents were driving near the centre at about 19:00 when they noticed they were being followed by a white double-cab bakkie. He said there were three occupants in it. They tried to stop the victims and switched on some blue lights on their bakkie.

Mdhluli said the suspects tried to drive alongside the victims and pointed firearms at them, forcing them to stop their car. One man, wearing a mask, climbed out of the double-cab and pulled one of the victims out of the driver’s seat, pushing them into the passenger seat. The suspect then got in the back seat with the two other victims and held them up at gunpoint while the second got into the driver’s seat and started driving the victims’ car. The third suspect drove the bakkie along.

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Mdhluli said their bank cards were taken off the victims, and the suspects demanded the Pin codes. The victims were driven around to various ATMs where money was withdrawn from their cards. Phones, clothes and household items that had been bought by the victims earlier that day, were also stolen.

“The suspects then gave the victims directions back to Mbombela, because they had been driven outside of the area,” said Mdhluli.

A case of robbery with a firearm has been opened, and while no arrests have been made yet, Mdhluli said the police are investigating the matter.

This latest robbery follows three similar, separate incidents that occurred, two on Monday night, January 8, and another one on the night of January 6.

On January 8, a couple from the Netherlands were stopped, robbed and kidnapped by suspects in a white double-cab bakkie with flashing blue lights in Albatross Street in Hazyview.

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In Standerton, on January 8, four friends were stopped by a group of men driving a white VW Polo fitted with blue lights. The four men were kidnapped and kept captive while the suspects withdrew large sums of money from their bank accounts. They were traced within 48 hours to a house in Vosloorus in Gauteng.

On January 6, five people, including four North American citizens, were robbed at gunpoint, kidnapped and held hostage for about four hours.

Anyone with information that may assist in apprehending these suspects should call the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or send information via the My SAPS app. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.

Communities are urged to adhere to the following guidelines:

A police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, has also urged the public to be extra vigilant in an event in which they suspect they are being stopped by criminals posing as fake police officers.

• Do not stop if you suspect you might be stopped by bogus police officers.
• Drive to the nearest police station, shopping complex or any other busy area when you are stopped by an unmarked vehicle fitted with blue lights.
• Do not stop at a deserted spot or area to talk on your phone or even relieve yourself.
• If someone tries to force you off the road, don’t panic. Constantly hoot to draw attention.

“You have the right to request a police officer who is not in uniform and in an unmarked vehicle to identify themselves by producing their SAPS appointment card that would have their rank, date of service and a picture of them on it,” said Mathe.