More concern over increased hijackings in north

Police in Pretoria North have sounded the alarm over the increasing number of hijackings recorded in their policing precinct in the past week.

Spokesperson Sergeant Tsakani Miyen said car hijackings were on the increase.

This was a week after she said there had not been a rampant occurrence in the crime category.

At the time, she said only one incident had been recorded in the past month.

However, a week later, Miyen said the number of incidents they had recorded had increased drastically.

“One of the vehicles these suspects are using is a Toyota Venture to commit these car hijackings,” she said.

In one of the most recent incidents, Miyen said a male victim was stuck along Hebron Road due to a tyre puncture.

“While the victim was stuck, an unknown young male, who appeared to be caring, approached the victim and asked what was wrong and offered to assist,” she said.

It was reportedly while they were busy changing the tyre that two other vehicles which were fitted with blue lights stopped where the incident took place.

Miyen said the two vehicles were a Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i20.

“A group of around six to seven men then got out of the vehicle and started to assault the motorist who was stuck and the young male who was assisting and demanded their cellphones, bank cards and wallets,” she said.

“The two of them were then taken to an open field and their vehicles were stolen,” Miyen said.

In the previous incident, she said a motorist was hijacked after giving a lift to two men who said they were going to the Pretoria CBD.

Last week, serious violent and serious economic crime investigator Mike Bolhuis said they had been inundated with, among others, hijacking cases.

In most of these incidents, he said victims would be taken from one ATM to another so maximum withdrawals could be made from their victim’s accounts.

Over the past few months, stations in the north of Pretoria have hogged headlines over the occurrence of hijackings in the area.

Last month, the Akasia, Rietgat and Sinoville police stations were ranked number two, 20 and 25, out of 30 police stations in the province where truck hijackings were most prevalent in the quarter one crime statistics.

The crime statistics were recorded between April and June 2021.

In May, fourth-quarter crime statistics – recorded between January to March – revealed the Akasia police station was among the top 30 police stations in the country where car-jackings were most prevalent.

Earlier in the same month, police minister Bheki Cele expressed concern over the increase in violent crimes which were committed in the area.

Some safety tips which were offered to avoid possible hijacking included:

– Not following a routine

– Travelling at different times, using different locations

– Utilising different vehicles on different days if more than one vehicle was owned

– Refraining from travelling through unsafe areas/suburbs after hours and identifying more populated routes/areas to travel

– Keeping family and friends updated about travel plans

– Not frequenting the same shopping centres, restaurants, etc.

– Not leaving valuables lying around in sight

– Not using a phone while driving or stopped at a crossing

– Being attentive to surroundings at all times

– Driving to a police station, a security company or petrol station if followed

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