Two hitchhikers became victims of robbery near Ermelo on 2 February.

According to a report from Mr Theo Craven,  control room operator for ACSU and the district manager for SACCW Gert Sibande Region, two men were hiking from the Game Centre to Volksrust.

“The driver of  a black Mercedes Benz all wheel drive (4×4) stopped and asked them where they were heading. There were also two other passengers in the vehicle.

“The driver agreed to transport the hikers to Volksrust,” Mr Craven said.

The victims got into the vehicle and the Mercedes Benz drove off in the direction of Amersfoort and Volksrust.

When they approached the Perdekraal wedding venue, the driver turned off onto the gravel road.

He drove a short distance and then brought the vehicle to a halt.

The men who were already in the vehicle when the driver stopped next to the hitchhikers, drew knives and held the victims at knife point. They demanded money and valuables.

Money, a bank card and cell phones were taken by the suspects.

They demanded the victims’ online banking application pin and transferred a substantial amount out of the account to an unknown account via a possibly ’cash send‘ transaction.

The victims were ordered out of the vehicle and told to run into the nearby maize field where the victims waited about five minutes.

The victims then returned to the spot where they were dropped off.

By this time the Mercedes Benz had left and the victims began making their way back to town.

They were found along the gravel road by Mr Oubaas de Jager, owner of the property and ACSU security.

Mr De Jager immediately radioed the control room and posted a look out for the vehicle.

“The victims were assisted by ACSU and referred to Ermelo Police Station with a bank statement to open a case,” Mr Craven concluded.

Read the complete article in the Highvelder newspaper.