Update: 9-year-old unharmed during hijacking

The 9-year-old boy who was a victim of a hijacking yesterday (December 14) was unharmed by the two hijackers.

During the horrific ordeal, the young boy was held at knife-point and told not to shout.

The boy, along with his family, were on their way to a game farm for their holidays.

Alarm bells triggered when the family didn’t arrive at their holiday destination and their family could not get in contact with them; their cell-phones were off.

The family were hijacked and robbed in Mooi River.

The hijackers proceeded towards Ladysmith, using the Ezakheni road, with the family still in the car.

The hijackers stopped at Midlands Motors (Ladysmith) to refuel and that’s when the family attempted to escape.

The father fought off the hijackers, who were armed with a gun and a knife, while the wife and elder child managed to jump out of the vehicle.

The 9-year-old boy was joining them when one of the hijackers slammed the door closed on the boy, trapping him inside the vehicle before he could escape.

The child hit his head against the door panel and was thrown back into the car. The hijackers then jumped back into the car and fled the scene.

Fearing her child was injured, the mother was beside herself and totally devastated.

Secure SA were informed and they contacted Ladysmith police. Secure SA co-ordinated the rescue operation with RTI; the K9 Unit; CIG; SAPS units from Estcourt, Weenen, Winterton, Mooi River and PMB; Bergville Public Safety and N3TC.

Secure SA sent out an alert message to be on the lookout for the hijacked vehicle (BOLO – Be On Look Out).

The vehicle was spotted in the Ladysmith CBD, speeding out of town in the Durban direction.

Emergency services were aware of the general direction the vehicle was travelling in, and rolling roadblocks and patrol vehicles were deployed on every possible escape route. N3TC and RTI played an integral role in ensuring that this was well co-ordinated.

The driver of a private ambulance travelling along the R103 noticed a suspicious-looking vehicle travelling in front of him. The driver, from Sharaj Ambulance Services, saw the Renault making a U-turn and heading back towards him. The car then made another U-turn, slotting in behind the ambulance. He was unaware of the hijacking and kidnapping at the time.

“My initial thoughts were that I was about to be hijacked. One of the occupants was wearing a balaclava and the vehicle was heading towards me. I had seen Bergville traffic officer Freddie Halgreen on the side of the road a short time before, so I knew he was nearby. I phoned Freddie to inform him of what was going on. That’s when I was told the vehicle had been hijacked and there was a child on board,” said the ambulance driver.

The chasing vehicles, now having visual confirmation from the Sharaj medic, turned off their blue lights and sirens so they could approach the hijackers undetected.

The medic was told to drive on ahead of the hijacked vehicle, with emergency services coming up from the rear to eventually box the vehicle in.

A high-speed chase ensued involving Bergville traffic officers, farmers and the K9 Unit. The hijackers were eventually stopped when Bergville Public Safety commander Freddie Halgreen cut them off and another vehicle rammed the hijackers’ vehicle from behind to bring it to a complete stop near the Loskop fly-over.

The Public Safety commander and heavily-armed burly farmers stormed the vehicle, resulting in both suspects being overpowered and the young boy freed unharmed.

The terrified child had remained calm throughout the ordeal, but the moment he realised he was finally free and safe, he burst into tears as he was led to safety by the farmers.

The boy was examined by Sharaj medics, who found him to be unharmed.

K9 Unit and CIG officers who arrived seconds afterwards arrested the suspects. They were found in possession of a knife and a firearm.

DID YOU KNOW?

Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.If you are reading this on your cellphone and there are telephone numbers provided in the text, you can call these simply by clicking on them.To receive news links via WhatsApp.

For the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook andTwitter. Join us there!