Bethal police warn of hitchhiking robbery
Two victims were robbed of their belongings, tied up, and left on a farm where nobody could see them.
Police are warning the community about the increase in robbery cases emanating from hitchhiking.
According to Sergeant Thomas Mogadime, spokesperson for Bethal police, the increase in such cases has caught the attention of the police where in different incidents, victims were hitchhiking to either Middelburg, Witbank, or nearby farms going to their places of residence, jobs hunting or visiting families and relatives.
“During such incidents, victims who are hiking will get into any vehicle driving in the direction they are going. Drivers will stop for them with different motives or intentions – either to help or to cause harm to the person hiking,” said Mogadime.
In one of the reported cases, two victims hitchhiked from Bethal on the Middelburg road, going to different places when a white Audi with three men stopped to offer them a lift.
“Just as they were leaving Bethal, one occupant shouted, ‘action’. The driver took a different route to a farm where they instructed the victims to hand over their belongings,” said Mogadime.
The victims were allegedly assaulted, bound with cable ties, and left in the middle of a farm near Bethal.
It is also alleged the suspects were travelling with a card machine or speed point where they instructed the victims to process payments with their bank cards.
“One victim had his personal firearm in his backpack, which was taken. He was also instructed to remove his trousers and shoes. The victims were left on the farm where nobody could see them,” said Mogadime.
Police are investigating the matter and are warning the community about the dangers of hitchhiking.
The police encouraged people travelling to Middelburg, Witbank, and nearby areas or farms to use taxis registered with the taxi association to prevent being robbed.
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