North police offer courier service staff safety line

Rietgat police said they have made their station a drop-off point for courier mail parcels into the area, after a spike in hijackings, kidnappings and assaults involving courier personnel.

“Since January, six trucks and courier service vehicles have been hijacked in the precinct,” said police spokesperson Captain Stephen Maluleka.

“Criminals are clearly targeting specific products delivered to the area.”

Police suspect that criminals have found a way to intercept e-commerce trade via delivery services.

He said courier services personnel were now terrified to make door-to-door deliveries in the area; thus, the police offered the station as a delivery point.

“Police would like to caution deliverymen and -women of the prevalence and escalation of armed robbery and theft of truck cases.

“We are so far following on several leads, but we cannot divulge much to avoid jeopardising the investigations,” Maluleka said.

To help, the police invited the service providers to rather meet their clients at the station for safer transfers of goods to consumers.

He pleaded with courier companies to consider this option “to help curb the scourge”.

Maluleka said the victims of the hijacking reported that they had first been given instructions to deliver products to one address but when they got there, they received a message to deliver to a different location.

“As they arrive at the [second] location, criminals pounce on these unsuspecting delivery personnel, rob them of their products and at worst hijack, kidnap or brutally assault them.”

Maluleka said cellphones, beauty products and other household purchases were targeted.

He said operators were also urged to avoid routes affected by service delivery protests.

“This is to avoid looting of the products they may be delivering within the precinct.”

“Household and office asset removal truck drivers are also warned about the hijackings.”

He said last week a Centurion man’s Toyota Hilux was hijacked when he responded to a furniture removal request.

“Drivers are warned to ensure that they check the legitimacy of their clients or stop at the police station for advice to circumvent the scourge.”

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