Truck hijackings spike in west
Truck hijacking a problem in the west of Pretoria with three trucks hijacked in two weeks.
Truck hijacking in the west of Pretoria has spiked in the past few weeks.
Three trucks have been targeted — one in Hammanskraal and the other two in Lotus Gardens.
Police spokesperson Captain Louise Reed-Steynberg said a tobacco truck was hijacked on Tuesday morning in Desmond Tutu Street and was recovered later.
“The tobacco truck driver was ambushed by armed men. When the men hijacked the truck, some of load fell of the truck.”
She said it was not known how many men were involved in the hijacking.
“When the load fell off the truck, two boys doing nyaope saw the cigarette boxes and picked them up.”
Reed-Steynberg said the two boys then ran away with the cigarettes, but were later arrested. They were not linked to the hijacking.
Investigations were continuing.
Last Wednesday, two men were arrested in central Pretoria in connection with the hijacking in Hammanskraal.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Ann Poortman said the two were believed to have carried the hijacking in Hammanskraal in the morning. They were caught hours later.
“The driver and his crew were on their way to deliver items when they were hijacked. A tracking device in the truck was activated and the tracker company and the police followed the truck,” she said.
“The signal led them to Olivia Cash and Carry, 101 Francis Baard Street, where the truck was stopped.”
The two men were found inside the truck and were arrested.
“The two suspects, who are foreign nationals, are aged between 29 and 33,” she said.
Poortman said the truck was carrying tyres and disposable nappies. The two men had a tracker-jammer in their possession when they were arrested.
About two weeks ago, another truck was hijacked in Lotus Gardens on Ruth First Street near a shopping complex.
Police spokesperson Captain Bonginkosi Msimango said the driver Rodney Masilo Ramaloka, was travelling from home in Lotus Gardens with a woman he had given a lift to when a blue Opel Corsa blocked his way.
“Two men approached his truck. One was armed with a screwdriver.”
The other man threatened to shoot Ramaloka if he did not cooperate.
“One of the suspects then got into the truck, pushed Ramaloka over and started driving off,” Msimango said.
“The truck driver pleaded with the hijacker to let the woman out, to which the robber agreed. When the hijacker stopped for her to get out, Ramaloka also escaped. The two ran to a shop and asked the security guards to help them.”
Msimango said the police found the truck the following day after a tip-off from Lotus Gardens CPF chairperson Tsietsi Steba.
Msimango gave a few tips to truck drivers to avoid being hijacked:
– Do not park or rest in isolated areas
– Do not give anyone a lift because the person could be working with hijackers
– Owners should install tracking devices in their trucks
– Drivers should call the police or owner of the company when they see suspicious cars following them
– Truck drivers should always travel with someone and not alone.
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