R8.5m heist: Stolen abnormal load recovered
A truck driver transporting an abnormal load fell victim to bogus traffic officers as well as armed robbers!
A truck driver travelling from Durban to the DRC was ambushed and robbed after also being targeted by men posing as traffic officers on the N11 near Columbus Stainless in Middelburg.
According to the provincial police media office, the driver of the abnormal load had stopped due to a flat tyre while transporting a trailer carrying an an excavator.
An unmarked black vehicle pulled up, and the driver, claiming to be a traffic officer, threatened to impound the truck.Shortly afterwards, another man arrived in a marked vehicle, dressed in uniform, also posing as a traffic officer. The person in the black vehicle left the scene.
The second ‘officer’ demanded R2 000 not to impound the truck. The truck driver contacted his manager, who arranged for money to be deposited into his account. The bogus officer said he would return later to collect the cash before leaving the scene.
The driver then walked to a nearby ATM, reportedly in Nasaret, withdrew the money, and started heading back to his truck.
On his way, he was confronted by three men, one armed with a handgun. They demanded his cellphone and cash before dragging him into nearby bushes. The victim recalled that at least one of the suspects spoke in a Zimbabwean language.
Two of the robbers left, while the armed suspect stayed behind. The driver tried to overpower him but was assaulted and struck over the head with something that could have been a firearm, leaving him unconscious.
When he regained consciousness and returned to his truck, he discovered the trailer and excavator, valued at approximately R8.5m, had been stolen, along with the truck batteries and diesel.
The following day, the trailer with the excavator still on it was found abandoned next to the Stoffberg road (R555) and was taken to the Middelburg Police Station, where it remained until the company collected it on Wednesday.
The suspects are still at large.
• Several victims have fallen prey to the so-called ‘blue light’ gangs over the years on the N4 and N12 highways. The robbers pose as law enforcement officers in vehicles with blue lights, often wearing uniforms, before robbing unsuspecting drivers.
• The Observer reached out to the media spokesperson of the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality regarding the victim stating two ‘traffic officials’ were involved in the alleged bribery incident. The Observer will report the municipality’s findings as soon as the municipality replies to the media enquiry.
