Bogus taxi operator, passengers allegedly strike again
Last week, taxi commuters who had fallen victim to a robbery in a minibus taxi in the Pretoria North area to present themselves to their police station so an identity parade could be organised with the hope that victims would be able to identify the two people who were believed to be linked to the crimes.
A bogus taxi operator and his passengers allegedly struck again in the north of Pretoria, a voice note circulated on social media platform WhatsApp claimed on Monday.
“I just received a message about a [Toyota] Quantum wherein five passengers boarded. There were six armed male passengers in the vehicle and they robbed all of them,” a man speaking in the voice note said.
The passengers reportedly boarded the taxi at Soshanguve Crossing.
He further said that the armed perpetrators allegedly stopped at a garage in the Onderstepoort area where the victims were forced to withdraw money from their bank accounts.
“All drivers at the Bloed Mall (in the Pretoria CBD) should be alert and make others alert as well,” the man said.
Pretoria North police spokesperson Sergeant Tsakani Miyen said she was unable to confirm the incident, but said they were aware of similar crimes in their policing precinct.
Last week, she called on all taxi commuters who had fallen victim to a robbery in a minibus taxi in the Pretoria North area to present themselves to their police station as they intended to organise an identity parade where they hoped the victims would be able to identify the perpetrators.
This was after she said that two people who were believed to be linked to these crimes had been arrested by their officers.
“This is regardless of jurisdiction, we just need people who have been robbed under these circumstances to come forward.
“This will assist in trying to secure a conviction as the matter goes forward.”
Before the arrests, Miyen warned of two minibus taxis that were terrorising unsuspecting passengers in their policing precinct.
In July, she warned commuters to be vigilant of a red Toyota Venture and a white Toyota Venture in April.
She said both vehicles had four occupants who drove around looking for unsuspecting commuters they could rob.
A month ago, Miyen – upon once again sounding the alarm over the increasing number of car hijackings – said one of the vehicles criminals used to commit the hijackings was a Toyota Venture.
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