NELSPRUIT - An alleged hijacker (45) was arrested by the police few minutes after he, together with his accomplices allegedly hijacked a white Isuzu truck and robbed two victims of large amount of liquor to the value of about R127 000. The hijacking incident is said to have occurred today, 05 September 2022 near Hazyview around 10:20 and the said suspect was arrested few minutes later around 11:00 at Marite outside Hazyview.

According to the information, a 34-year-old man together with his crew are said to have been driving in a truck loaded with the said beverages along the R40 Road on their official trip from Hazyview to Nelspruit. It is further said that when they reached opposite Numbi Park in Kiepersol a group of about three armed suspects emerged and got inside the road. The suspects are said to have pointed the two with firearms and instructed them to immediately stop the truck. Thereafter, the suspects went inside then instructed the driver to head straight to the nearby bushes in Sandriver where upon arrival, they were locked at the back of the truck and their faces covered with some plastics.

The suspects then reportedly offloaded the consignment of liquor into another vehicle, a silver Mahindra bakkie then fled the scene, leaving their victims behind with the truck.

The police were notified of the incident by a tracker company and they (police) immediately activated their resources whereby the said bakkie was spotted at Jim Brown. Two suspects are said to have fled upon noticing the police from Calcutta to evade the arrest but one was unlucky as he was cornered. The bakkie was still loaded with the suspected stolen liquor.

The male suspect is expected to appear at the Mkhuhlu Magistrate's Court tomorrow, Tuesday 06 September 2022 on charges of being found in possession of suspected stolen properties and he could possibly be linked to the hijacking incident at Hazyview earlier today.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has commended the collaborative effort displayed between the tracker company and the SAPS members which led to the arrest of the suspect as well as the recovery of the suspected stolen properties. "We are still in pursuit of the remaining suspects and we shall not leave this matter just like that until we put all of them behind bars" said the General.

Source: South African Police Service