Murder and hijacking: Police recover stolen vehicles in Western Cape

Four suspects were arrested and two hijacked vehicles were recovered in separate incidents, thanks to the swift action of SAPS members in the Western Cape, where one of the victims was found murdered.

Police said the drama unfolded on January 7, just after 11.20 pm when members of the flying squad received information about a hijacked Toyota Corolla from a vehicle tracking company. The vehicle was reportedly driving around Brackenfell.

Constable Ndakhe Gwala explained that the vigilant police officers followed up on the information and traced it to a nearby garage where arrests were made. “The members spotted a vehicle matching the description at a garage in Okavango Road. Inside were four males between the ages of 18 and 22 years.

“When questioned about the ownership of the vehicle, one of them claimed that it belonged to their friend. All four suspects were arrested for possession of a hijacked vehicle, and it was later discovered that the hijacked driver was murdered. A charge of murder was added, and the suspects are due to appear in the Kuils River Magistrate’s Court on the mentioned charges.”

Gwala said in another incident, members of Gugulethu SAPS responded to an alert about a Toyota Quantum minibus driver who was hijacked and kidnapped in Langa at around 10:30 am.

“While closely monitoring Europe Informal Settlement, they spotted the minibus,” Gwala added. “As they were approaching, several male suspects jumped out of the vehicle and fled in different directions. Members proceeded to the vehicle and found the driver seated at the back of the minibus, unharmed. The vehicle had minor damages on the dashboard; the radio and tracking device were removed.

Gwala added that SAPS management in the Western Cape commended the quick action of the officers involved in both incidents.

Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.

Cape Argus