Free State police have swooped on alleged truck hijackers and cargo thieves in separate incidents this week, recovering one truck containing cigarettes valued at R4 million, and another transporting R450 000 worth of stolen harvested soya beans.
In the cigarette incident on the N1 to Bloemfontein, the suspects allegedly used blue lights and one gang member was wearing a police uniform when they forced the truck driver to pull off the road.
The suspects kidnapped the driver and placed him in one of their getaway vehicles before leaving with his truck and cargo. They bound him and later dumped him under a bridge.
In the second incident a hired truck was used to load R450 000 of stolen soya beans, but detection by local farmers and police led to a swift arrest.
South African Police Services (Saps) spokesperson sergeant Josephine Rani said the Fezile Dabi District Trio Task Team had arrested three suspects, aged between 48 and 54, and recovered a truck and cigarette cargo of an estimated value of R4 million on Tuesday.
“At about 13:20 the members received a lookout of a white Toyota Corolla allegedly involved in hijackings of trucks and courier vehicles. It was further alleged that the occupants were armed. The vehicle was said to be travelling on the N1 and later it was spotted in Koppies,” Rani said.
“The members proceeded to Koppies, and when the occupants of the Corolla spotted the police they sped off. A chase ensued between the police and the suspects who were apprehended and taken to Koppies police station for further questioning,” she said.
While at the Koppies police station, police officers encountered a security officer and a complainant who alleged that his truck had been hijacked on the N1 by a white Volkswagen Polo and a white Toyota Corolla. He identified the vehicle and the suspects.
“The victim claimed he was driving a truck towards Bloemfontein when a Polo with blue lights stopped him. He said that one of the occupants was wearing a police uniform,” Rani said.
“The victim said that after stopping, he was forced into the Polo and they drove with him for about 30 kilometres until he was forced into a white Toyota Corolla, where his hands were tied with cable ties. They drove another 20 kilometres and left him under a bridge,” Rani said.
She said three suspects – two are foreign nationals – were arrested, while four others are still at large. The truck was recovered abandoned on the N1, still loaded with cigarettes.
The three suspects will face charges of kidnapping and hijacking in Koppies Magistrate Court.
In a second incident on Wednesday, Petrus Steyn police and local farmers arrested two suspects from Mpumalanga for allegedly stealing soya beans a few kilometres outside the town.
“It's alleged that the two suspects were at the local silos with their hired truck to load soya beans. The other employees were stunned upon seeing that the truck never went to the weighing scale (bridge) at the silos, but the driver drove off after loading,” said Saps spokesperson, warrant officer Mmako Mophiring.
“They became suspicious and alerted the police and other local farmers. The truck was successfully stopped about seven kilometres outside Petrus Steyn on the R57 towards Reitz.”
The two suspects from Delmas in Mpumalanga, aged 22 and 23, were arrested for possessing suspected stolen property – soya beans estimated at R450 000.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Reitz Magistrate Court on Friday, 23 June, facing charges of possession of suspected stolen property.
