But give a compliment when it is due and over the weekend a reservists from Witbank SAPS showed that here in the City of Coal our men and women in blue are passionate about the uniform they wear.
Res w/o Hendri Appelgryn recovered a truck on Friday, May 9 before the owner of the truck was even aware that his truck was hijacked.
“I was amazed when I received a call saying that my truck was recovered. That on a Friday night when I was relaxing totally unaware of the drama that played-off,” said the owner of the truck Mr Layton Matlala from Gorogang Plant Hire.
W/o Appelgryn said he received information of a possible hijacked white Mercedes Actros Truck with an open abnormal trailer. He said a group of four suspects apparently responsible for the hijacking accompanied the truck in an old white VW Polo on the N4 freeway.
“I drove towards Bronkhorstspruit looking out for the truck. Close to the Balmoral off-ramp I noticed the truck and trailer going towards eMalahleni. I took the off-ramp at Balmoral and crossed over back onto the N4. I managed to catch-up with the truck at the Kromdraai/Wakefield off-ramp and reduced speed moving to the right lane as if I was passing it,” w/o Appelgryn said.
He noticed that the registration numbers correspond with the numbers he was given information on. To avoid suspicion he passed the truck at the Vosman/Highveld off- ramp and let it pass. He continued to follow the truck at a safe distance.
W/o Appelgryn said once in eMalahleni the truck was driven down OR Tambo Road towards the Bethal/Kriel Road. It was then when he noticed the VW Polo falling in behind it.
But the occupants in the Polo must have gotten suspicious as they turned off and turned towards the central business district.
Members of Highway Patrol who was alerted by W/o Appelgryn helped him as they gave chase to the Polo. They pulled the Polo off in Watermeyer Street.
Both the occupants of the Polo were placed under arrest and the police found a large amount of money and five cell phones in the vehicle.
When they returned to the truck that was left abandoned next to the Bethal Road, they found that the inside of the truck was vandalised in an attempt to find the tracking device. It seemed that the suspect who drove the truck jumped out and ran away.
“I wish all policemen did what this reservist did. It is heart warming to know there are policemen like W/o Appelgryn out on the streets. I salute you and thank you,” Matlala said.
