KENTON-ON-SEA - 9 MEN ARRESTED FOR HIJACKING THANKS TO EXCELLENT WORK BY THE SAPS

Quick reaction by Kenton-On-Sea police led to the arrest of nine men in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday), in connection with the hijacking of a delivery truck on the R72 near Alexandria last night. Police also recovered the hijacked truck, its cargo as well as a BMW vehicle suspected of being used in the commission of the crime.

It is alleged that the incident took place as the 33-year-old driver of a Shoprite truck and trailer was travelling on the R72 at about 23:50 last night, to deliver stock when an unknown man allegedly stood in the middle of the road and waved a water bottle. When the driver stopped the vehicle, the man asked him for water.

As the driver was about to give him water, the suspect pulled out a firearm and ordered him to get out of the truck held the truck driver at gunpoint. Later, about four to five other men joined and instructed him to get into the boot of a BMW parked nearby and they drove off.

They later stopped and ordered him out of the vehicle before tying him to a tree next to the R72 and driving off.

He managed to free himself and waved to a passing truck in which transported him to the police station in Alexandria where he reported the incident.

Meanwhile, Kenton-On-Sea police received information that a truck was off-loading goods at a house in Marselle, Bushman’s River Mouth.  On investigation, police found seven men off-loading stock.  Warrant Officer Rassie Erasmus, Warrant Officer Jacques Nelson and Constable Mpinga Donkrag arrested the seven suspects.  Warrant Officer Nelson received further information that the BMW suspected of being used in the crime was on its way from Alexandria to the direction of Kenton-on-Sea and on searching found the truck driver’s cellphone and arrested the two suspects in the vehicle.

The nine men, including a Marselle-based foreign national, all aged between 18 and 36, are being detained by police and are due to appear in court shortly.

A case of hijacking is under investigation by the Grahamstown vehicle identification unit.

Port Alfred Cluster Commander, Colonel Lizette Zeelie congratulated all the role player namely SAPS members for their swift reaction, arrests and recoveries, as well as community members and Sky Security for information provided.

VIA - saps.gov.za