Three men have been arrested on 15 February in connection with a flurry of crimes in and around the Roodepoort area. This gang is linked to at least ten separate hijackings that share similar characteristics.
The men are alleged to have hijacked their victims before holding them captive for several hours while making regular withdrawals from their hostages’ bank accounts.
Gauteng Rapid Response Services, in conjunction with Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department K9 unit and National Crime Intelligence, tracked the suspects to Mpolokeng Street, Meadowlands. Authorities discovered two stolen vehicles, two unlicensed firearms, multiple pairs of gloves and several balaclavas. The recovered white Range Rover Evoque and grey Audi S3 were used to commit the robberies, as were the AK-47 and 9mm pistol found at the scene.
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https://roodepoortrecord.co.za/2019/05/30/watch-motorist-shot-attempted-hijacking-wilro-park/
Gauteng Provincial Police spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubela confirmed, “Over the past 60 days the recovered vehicles were captured on CCTV robbing, hijacking and kidnapping innocent victims in the greater Johannesburg, Midrand and West Rand areas”. The suspects are also alleged to have a taste for expensive wristwear as they have been linked to the theft of Rolex watches too.
The suspects have been detained at Meadowlands Police Station and the vehicles were sent to the Vehicle Identification and Safeguarding (VIS) unit in Lenasia. The three men, aged between 24 and 33 will appear in the Meadowlands Magistrates’ Court on multiple counts of theft, kidnapping and possession of unlicensed firearms.
