Teamwork between the various specialised units in the SAPS resulted in the arrest of a 31-year-old hijacking suspect who was allegedly involved in the hijacking of a courier truck on the N2 near Thornhill on 4 November 2020.
It is alleged that on 4 November 2020, at about 10:20, the driver (37-year-old) and his passenger were driving on the R331 when their vehicle was blocked off at the intersection to Loerie by a white Toyota Corolla with five armed occupants. The driver and his passenger were removed and taken to the Toyota Corolla while two other suspects drove off with the vehicle and its contents. They were dropped off in bushes near Addo.
The truck was later recovered abandoned in Dan Pienaar Road by Uitenhage K9 members. The contents were removed.
On the same day, the Crime Combatting Unit members followed the tracking movement to a house at the corners of Tyinira and Ngedle Roads in NU10 in Motherwell where some of the contents of the truck included cigarettes, milk, clothing, cellphones, TV’s etc were recovered. No arrest was made at that time. The total value of the contents was R500 000. Approximately half its value was recovered (R250 000).
On Thursday, a joint operational team (Provincial Organised Crime Investigation in PE, PE Flying Squad and Crime Intelligence) spotted the white Toyota Corolla used in the hijacking, traveling towards Port Elizabeth on the N2 from Motherwell. The driver, 31-year-old was arrested and detained on a charge of vehicle hijacking. The vehicle was also impounded for further investigation.
He is expected to appear in the Hankey magistrates’ court on Monday, 16/11.