Recovered in 21 minutes: Cops make breakthrough after bakkie hijacked

It took police just 21 minutes to nab three suspects who had allegedly hijacked a bakkie in Delmas, Mpumalanga, on Wednesday morning.

The victim was driving from Emalahleni (formerly Witbank) when he was attacked by the alleged hijackers at about 8am. Two were reportedly armed with firearms.

The suspects  robbed him of his white double-cab Ford Ranger and his mobile phone, police said. 

After the robbery was reported, members of the flying squad from Middelburg and Benoni spotted the vehicle on the R42 road towards Bronkhorstspruit and pulled it over at about 8.21am.

“Three suspects were found in possession of two firearms with ammunition. According to police records, the weapons were reported stolen in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, and Meyerton, Gauteng, in 2022 and 2023 respectively,'” said police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala.

He said a 16-channel jamming device and mobile phone were found in possession of the suspects.

“The confiscated firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether they were previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere. More charges could possibly be added against the suspects as the investigation continues.”

The three suspects, aged between 28 and 37, were arrested and charged with possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition, possession of suspected stolen property and would possibly face a charge of hijacking and robbery.

“One of the arrested suspects is a Mozambican national without valid documentation to be in the country.”

The three are expected to appear at the Delmas magistrate’s court on Thursday.

TimesLIVE