Mayberry Park taxi owner warns of new criminal trend on N3
A possible new crime tactic has left Mayberry Park taxi owner devastated following a robbery at one of his vehicles.
A devastated taxi owner Mpendulo Zoko has issued a stern warning to motorists using major freeways on what is suspected to be a new crime tactic victimising drivers.
The Mayberry Park entrepreneur and a former police officer had passengers from one of his vehicles robbed at gunpoint and R8 000 taken from his driver.
He warns motorists to be extra careful of car spiking on Gauteng Roads, particularly on the N3 that passes through Alberton. This involves spikes being put on roads to puncture tyres, leaving motorists with no choice but to stop and being robbed.
“A taxi travelling from Johannesburg Park Station was robbed three kilometres away from Heidelberg on April 26 at about 20:00. The taxi had 16 passengers when it hit a spike on the N3 freeway, puncturing the right front wheel, on its way to Eastern Cape. The driver, who is also my son, then pulled it out of the road,” explained Zoko.
He said while he was busy trying to fix the puncture, three armed men ambushed them and demanded money and cellphones from the passengers.
“They took money from the driver and all the passengers, including their cellphones and belongings. As it was dark, and they vanished into the bushes. They took my son [driver] away, threatening to kill him. A case of armed robbery has since been opened at Heidelburg SAPS,” he said.
Zoko told the RECORD police confirmed that this was not the first incident to occur on the route.
Alberton SAPS station commander Colonel Olven Letloenyane warned motorists not to stop immediately after noticing a puncture.
“We want to warn the community to be cautious in light of this trend of using spikes on freeways. It is new and happening frequently now. Since the victim said this incident occurred in Heidelburg, this can happen on our side,” he said.
He warned that these perpetrators mostly put these spikes next to bridges.
“They know that after having a puncture you will have no choice but to stop and check your tyres. Fortunately, we haven’t had such cases but since it’s happening around us, it is possible that it could happen here. If motorists experience something of this nature, they should move over to the emergency lane and drive slowly until they get to the nearest safe place,” said Letloenyane.
