Over the past month, Springs has experienced a spate of hijacking incidents, despite official police statistics reflecting a quarterly decrease in carjackings.

There have also been several hijacking cases where stolen vehicles were later recovered in the area.

According to SAPS statistics reflecting crimes reported from April to June, carjackings decreased from 20 cases in the previous period to 17.

Last week, the Springs Advertiser reported on a woman who was rescued after being hijacked and kidnapped in Selection Park.

She was hijacked on August 26 in front of her residential gate while inside her silver Toyota Yaris. A joint operation by security companies, the SAPS, and the local CPF led to the rescue of the victim, who was found unharmed in Wright Park.

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In another incident, a white Nissan NP200 was hijacked on 6th Street in Geduld on August 15. Maria Schutte from Guardian Angels First Respondents told the Advertiser that the driver was shot and rushed to hospital.

Schutte also recalled how a Volkswagen Polo hijacked on August 10 in Brakpan was later recovered in the Springs CBD.

“When we arrived at the scene, the victim had been shot in the leg and was taken to hospital,” she said.

Just eight days earlier, on August 2, a man was arrested on 4th Street in the Springs CBD for an attempted hijacking and robbery.

According to the owner of Vampire Security, three suspects allegedly attempted to hijack two women outside their home on Gilhooley Road in Selection Park.

“We responded to a report of shots being fired. Our response team was dispatched to the scene where they found the two women visibly shaken by the incident.

“The suspects had allegedly attempted to hijack them and stole their cellphones.

“The women claimed that a family member came outside and fired warning shots into the air, causing the suspects to flee the scene in a white Volkswagen Polo sedan,” the owner said.

Security personnel managed to trace one of the victims’ cellphones to an address on 4th Street.

Vampire Security worked with the Springs SAPS and the Blue Hawks Tactical Team, resulting in the arrest of one of the suspects.

The security owner revealed that his company has responded to six hijackings in Springs in the past two months.

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“Hijackings have increased a lot in the last two months compared to the months before that. There is a high number in Geduld and Selection Park areas,” he said.

He added that hijackers often target Ford Rangers, Toyota Hiluxes, Chery Tiggos and Volkswagen Polos.

“Based on our experience, criminals will do anything they want and have become more dangerous as they are now kidnapping the victims and shooting if they have to.

“I would advise the community to watch their surroundings, pay attention when driving home, and use different routes going home to make sure you are not being followed,” he said.

Springs police had not responded to an inquiry from the Advertiser at the time of publication.