Cops warn of ‘new’ hijackings

Police have warned that “good samaritan” criminals are tricking motorists into pulling off the road by telling them they might have a flat tyre – only to hijack them, Rekord East reports.

This comes after two hijackings were reported on the same day using this modus operandi, according to police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach.

Last Wednesday, at about 11.30am, a motorist was driving a Toyota Hilux along the N1 freeway between Atterbury and Lynnwood roads.

While driving, another motorist indicated to him that there was something wrong with his rear left tyre. The man pulled off the road to investigate, only to find that there was nothing wrong.

While he was checking, a blue Volkswagen Polo with three men stopped beside him.

They forced him to get into the back of the VW Polo and robbed him of his cellphone and cash and dropped him off at Cosmo City.

One of the robbers drove away with the victim’s car.

The second such hijacking occurred at about 12.20pm.

A motorist was driving an Isuzu bakkie on the R21 South in Irene when a white Volkswagen golf overtook him and the passenger indicated to him there was something wrong with the bakkie’s rear left tyre.

The man stopped to investigate and a vehicle stopped next to him.

An unknown man approached him with a firearm while a second man emerged from a white Opel Corsa.

The robbers searched the man and took his cellphone and cash.

He was later dropped off in Eldorado Park. His bakkie was also stolen. – Caxton News Service