More truck hijackings spike concern
Criminals seem to use similar modus operandi in hijackings recently.
A spate of truck hijackings recently has prompted police to issue a warning to truck drivers.
Lyttelton police spokesperson Captain Dave Miller said on Thursday police had identified a number of trucks had being hijacked in the Lyttelton policing area recently.
He said criminals seemed to be targeting random trucks. No specific company or a truck type had been identified as a typical trait in the hijackings.
“Criminals seemed to use the same method when hijacking the trucks.”
He said in some instances fake police blue lights were used to warn truck drivers of a supposed fire or that the truck had a flat tyre.
“Once the driver pulls over to investigate, the truck is hijacked.”
Miller said: “In most of the cases the suspects are armed and their numbers ranged anywhere from four to eight at a time.”
Brooklyn police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach said two trucks were hijacked in their policing area during the day last week.
This happened over two days between 12:00 and 15:00 on the N1 freeway at the Lynnwood and Delmas roads intersection in Erasmuskloof.
Weilbach said the hijackers used the same modus operandi in both hijackings last week Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The truck drivers reported to the police that a passenger in a passing vehicle indicated to them that there was something wrong at the back of the truck.”
She said both truck drivers described how they stopped to investigate.
“The truck drivers did not expect any foul play as the vehicle with the person who indicated the problem, drove off.”
A second vehicle with two to three men would then approach the parked truck and hijack it.
Weilbach said the truck drivers and their crews were forced into another vehicle and were later dropped off at different locations.
“Police urge truck drivers to be alert at all times to prevent these types of hijackings as the Brooklyn police station was not the only one with reports of truck hijackings,” Weilbach said.
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Truck hijackings spike in west
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