Beware of ‘abandoned young child’ on roadside
The young "child" you spot "abandoned" on the roadside could be a fatal trap, ignore it and proceed with your trip
POLOKWANE – The young “child” you spot “abandoned” on the roadside could be a fatal trap, ignore it and proceed with your trip.
This is the advice by police after several motorists recently reported a seemingly new trend by organised crime gangs.
According to police, criminals use dolls and teddy bears dressed in children’s clothes to lure motorists. The minute they stop to investigate, they get hijacked.
Spokesperson for the Polokwane police, Capt Ntobeng Phala confirmed the incidents.
“We have received reports that there are hijackers who use dolls or teddy bears to lure motorists. The child toy would be dressed in baby clothes and be placed on a busy road or intersection. An unsuspecting motorist would be tricked into believing a child has been abandoned and will then stop to ‘rescue’ the child. “Once you stop, the hijackers will pounce and in the wink of an eye the car will be gone. We advise motorists to be vigilant.”
Another method of hijacking is when criminals throw eggs onto windscreens to obstruct the driver’s view, Phala said.
“If someone throws an egg onto your windscreen, do not attempt to use the wipers to remove it. This will definitely cause a serious problem as the windscreen will be smeared. Simply proceed with your journey and stop at a safer place to clean the windscreen.”
He also advised motorists to ignore other drivers pointing at their tyres, hoodwinking them that their tyres have been punctured.
“Why should you panic about your tyres whereas you are convinced that your tyres are still in good condition? If someone pulls this trick on you, ignore the person and proceed with your trip. This is one of the new tricks used by criminals to hijack cars.”
Phala has cautioned visitors to Polokwane not to leave their bags on the car seats.
“Valuable items have huge potential to entice criminals to break into cars and steal. It is advisable to carry along your bag or any other valuable items to avoid unnecessary break-ins into the cars. We appeal to those who leave their laptops inside car boots to switch off the Bluetooth mode. Criminals are able to locate a laptop that is on Bluetooth mode. You will be shocked to find your boot opened with a crowbar and the laptop gone,” said Phala.
