The woman, whose identity has been withheld, said two men dressed as Metro police officers instructed her to pull over, searched her car and later stole her vehicle.
She said, “After one of them stopped me, the other man spoke to another motorist across the road. The ‘cop’ asked for my driver’s licence so I went to the boot to get my bag and showed him. He also looked at my car’s licence disc and handed my driver’s licence back to me.”
She alleged that after the man performed a random search of her vehicle, he told her to open the left rear back door which was locked. She opened it and sat on the backseat of the car while the man got into the driver’s seat. Shortly thereafter, the other suspect, who had been talking to another motorist, returned to the victim’s vehicle and entered the car.
“I asked them what was going on and they kept reassuring me that all was well and that I was safe. One of them drove off and while he did so I asked what was happening and they said it was a hijacking,” she stated.
The suspects allegedly stole her BMW X5, a wedding ring, earrings, a cellphone, laptop, iPad, R3 000 in cash and sunglasses, among other personal belongings. They drove the woman to Pitzer Road in Glen Austin where they transferred her to another vehicle. One of the suspects allegedly pushed her head onto his lap and placed his backpack and hat over her head and body so other motorists could not see her from the road.
The suspects drove for about 15 minutes and then told her to get into the boot of the vehicle. Following this, the suspects drove towards an informal settlement and on the way, they asked her, through the vehicle’s seating, for all her bank passwords and pin codes, which she gave.
“I was worried about my baby and wanted to stay alive. The men withdrew R5 000 from my bank account which was my maximum daily limit. It was an absolutely terrifying experience but, thankfully, I was not hurt in the slightest. Two hours later, the suspects dropped me off at a cemetery in Soweto near the N12 highway and then I ran to call for help. A Metro police vehicle stopped and assisted me.”
Metro police spokesperson, Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said he is glad that a Metro police vehicle immediately stopped to assist her after the suspects dropped her off. “Unmarked Metro vehicles don’t get used for routine patrols and checking of cars, so if an unmarked car is used then there is a big possibility that they are bogus cops or criminals dressed in police or Metro police uniforms. Don’t stop, drive to the nearest police station for help and also call the emergency numbers for help.”
Minnaar also revealed that in another incident last week, four suspects were arrested at different locations on the N12 highway and in Soweto with a variety of fake police uniforms in their possession. The cases are are still being investigated and the suspects are being profiled to see if they can be linked to any crimes.
Midrand police spokesperson, Constable Matome Tlamela said a hijacking case was opened at Midrand Police Station, but no arrests have been made as yet. The case continues.
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