Blue Security has warned motorists to be vigilant after a Montclair motorist was ambushed and taken in one of three recent hijacking incidents.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said that in the latest incident a couple was hijacked outside a property in Northdene at around 7pm last night. “A gang of hijackers driving a dark grey hatchback vehicle pulled up next to the couple and three armed suspects jumped out and held up the couple at gunpoint. They fled the scene in the couple’s vehicle. No injuries were reported,” he said. Malvern SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Mathios said that in a separate incident in Montclair at around 12.30 pm yesterday suspects driving a VW Polo hijacked a motorist at his home. “The motorist was about to get into his vehicle to leave his property when two suspects approached him and forced him into his vehicle. They jumped into his vehicle and took him with them to KwaMashu where they eventually dropped him off. Someone from Kwamashu later contacted his wife to advise that he had been dropped off in the area and was being assisted to get to the local police station,” Mathios said. Montclair SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Mathios added that in a third incident a motorist was hijacked in Reservoir Hills at around 7.40 pm on Sunday night. “The motorist was in the process of fetching someone from the property when he was hijacked of his vehicle. Five suspects, one of them armed with a firearm, held up the motorist at gunpoint and forced him to get out of his vehicle,” Mathios said. “The suspects fled the scene in his vehicle. No injuries were reported,” he said.
Members of Sydenham SAPS attended the scene of the crime. Mathios advised motorists to always be alert when arriving home or leaving and to ensure that there are no suspicious individuals or vehicles near the premises. “If you do notice anything suspicious rather drive past the property and contact your security firm and the police to investigate. Make sure that your property is well lit at night, install CCTV surveillance cameras and cut back any overgrown bush which could serve as a hiding place for criminals,” he said.
Mathios advised motorists to always stop parallel to the pavement and to wait until the gate has opened completely before driving into the premises. “This will enable you to drive off quickly should any suspicious vehicle pull up next to you and it will prevent suspects from being able to pull up behind you in your driveway and hold you up before the gate opens,” he said.