Police pounce on hijackers
Three suspected hijackers were arrested in Port Elizabeth after allegedly forcing a car off the road in KwaNobuhle near Uitenhage on Sunday afternoon.
The arrests came after the hijacked Mazda 323 was spotted by police in Henry Ford Road, Korsten, five hours after the hijacking.
The driver, 38, was hijacked at about 5.15pm on Sunday after being forced to stop in the Gunguluza area of KwaNobuhle, police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said.
“The three men were walking in the street when they waved down the Mazda, which also operates as a jikeleza taxi.
“As the vehicle came to a stop, the men requested a lift to Mabandla Road, KwaNobuhle.
“It is alleged that one of the men suddenly cocked a firearm and instructed the driver to move to the back seat while another man got into the driver seat.
“The three men then drove off to Mel Brooks Avenue, Uitenhage, and dropped the vehicle owner in the street,” Swart said.
“The three men then sped off with his car in the direction of Port Elizabeth.
“The owner of the vehicle alerted the police, and the description of the vehicle and its registration number were circulated by members of the Uitenhage 10111 Centre.”
Swart said that by 10pm, Port Elizabeth K9 unit members spotted the car in Korsten and pulled the vehicle off the road.
“Police investigations revealed that it was the hijacked vehicle,” she said.
All three men inside the car, aged between 20 and 26, were arrested and the vehicle was confiscated.
Swart said that while no firearm was found inside the car, detectives were looking into whether the same men were linked to other hijackings in the Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth areas.
All three suspects are due to appear in the KwaNobuhle Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday in connection with the hijacking.