GQEBERHA - When duty calls, a police officer is expected to respond to his vocational duty without hesitation even after his/her 12 hour shift has ended.

After reporting off duty, members of SAPS Bethelsdorp Crime Prevention Unit received a call of a hijacked Toyota RAV 4 vehicle that was driving in their area. Immediately with the assistance of the Anti-Gang Unit, the members sped off in the direction of the fleeing hijacked vehicle.

The Toyota RAV 4 and a white VW Polo were spotted on Stanford Road near Jagtervlakte. As soon as the drivers of both vehicles spotted the police, they fled in different directions with police keeping a close eye on both vehicles. The driver of the Toyota RAV 4 lost control of the vehicle causing it to overturn. He managed to get out and run away into nearby bushes. Police continued pursuing the VW Polo who also lost control and landed into a ditch. The driver of the vehicle was found hiding in the bushes. It was later established that the VW Polo was also hijacked earlier in the evening.

It is alleged that at about 18:30 on 3 March 2022, the owner of the VW Polo was hijacked in Aspen Heights. The suspects used the same vehicle to hijack the owner of the Toyota RAV 4 in North End at about 19:30.

Both vehicles were impounded for further investigation.

The suspect is detained on two cases of vehicle hijacking and possession of suspected stolen property.

He will appear in the Gqeberha magistrate court on Monday, 7 March 2022.

Source: South African Police Service