Truck recovered after Springs neighbourhood watch pursue blue light hijackers

AfriForum’s Springs branch did not hesitate to call in the help of its neighbourhood watch after the branch received an emergency call from two hijacking victims. While the neighbourhood watch pursued the suspects, they also managed to recover the hijacked truck.

The AfriForum branch received a call at 19:00 on Thursday that a truck driver and a passenger had been hijacked and robbed on the N17 highway. The truck driver informed the branch that he was stopped by a silver-grey Mercedes Vito. This vehicle is said to have installed blue lights on its roof. After the driver stopped by the side of the road, he and the passenger were told by five men to get out of the truck. Two of the men were armed. The two victims were bound in the hijackers’ vehicle, robbed of their money and mobile phones and dropped off in a field near the R29 in Springs.

Morné Greyling, Vice-Chairman of AfriForum’s Springs branch and leader of the neighbourhood watch, says that shortly after the emergency call, the branch sent a team to help the victims, while members of the neighbourhood watch combed the N17 highway for the suspected hijackers. Members of the neighbourhood watch later spotted a truck on the side of the road and approached it carefully. However, the suspected hijackers were long gone.

The truck driver went to the scene to identify the vehicle and later filed a case of armed robbery and kidnapping at the local police station.

“Although the suspected hijackers were not caught this time, we are delighted that the Springs neighbourhood watch was able to safeguard the victims and locate the hijacked vehicle,” says Greyling.

There have been similar hijackings. Greyling warns that motorists should be aware of this modus operandi.

With the community’s support AfriForum’s Springs neighbourhood watch can make a significant difference in the area. Click here to get involved with the Springs branch.