A vehicle was recovered 30 minutes after it had been hijacked in Effingham earlier today, which led members of our Special Operations Team to a wanted vehicle that had been used by suspects to commit numerous hijackings and armed robberies in recent weeks, including this one.
Just after 16h00 the Marshall Security Emergency Dispatch Centre received multiple reports on numerous WhatsApp crime alert groups that a hijacking had just taken place on Ramchand Road in the Effingham area, where a white Toyota Fortuner had been hijacked.
Multiple Armed Response Officers and Special Operations Team members were immediately dispatched to scene, and a few minutes later were also activated by Altech Netstar to assist with locating the same hijacked Toyota Fortuner.
Our members immediately proceeded to the last known location of the possible whereabouts of the hijacked vehicle. Within 14 minutes from the time of being activated by Altech Netstar, the vehicle was simultaneously found abandoned and recovered by members of our Special Operations Team, the Phoenix Trio Crime Unit, Kwamashu SAPS and Altech Netstar ground team on Nkonka Road in the Ntuzuma area.
The vehicle was already stripped and badly damaged from the suspects attempting to find the tracking device, but they were unsuccessful. The scene was secured for further investigation by the SAPS.
Shortly after the recovery of the Fortuner, our members spotted a white Chevrolet on Impugushe Avenue that has been wanted for numerous hijackings and armed robberies. As soon as the suspect spotted our team members, he immediately fled and a short car chase ensued. The suspect lost control of his vehicle, crashed, and then fled on foot and managed to escape by fleeing into the informal settlement.
It was later established that the vehicle had been hijacked earlier this month in the Kwamashu area, and was involved in the hijacking of the Fortuner that had just occurred in Effingham.
The scene was secured and handed over to Kwamashu SAPS for further investigation and processing.
