Yesterday approximately 12h30, a white Toyota Corolla Verso was spotted entering the Umdloti area, the details of the suspicious vehicle was circulated to our Armed Response Officer to be on the lookout.
A short while later, the vehicle was spotted on South Beach Road, abandoned with the occupants of the vehicle no where to be seen. It was established after close examination that the vehicle was fitted with false plates and a license disk and was possibly involved in a business robbery earlier yesterday morning in the Tongaat area.
Our Armed Response Officer then went in search for the occupants of the vehicle, and they spotted them walking north on South Beach Road. As our Armed Response Officer approached the occupants to interview them, they then pulled out firearms and pointed it at our Armed Response Officer and then managed to forcibly take his vehicle. Our Armed Response Officer immediately called for back up and the SAPS were immediately notified.
Approximately ten minutes later, the hijacked Armed Response vehicle was recovered in a Sugarcane field just off the M27 close to the Waterloo Informal Settlement. After comprehensive search, which even involved deploying a helicopter, the suspects unfortunately managed to evade arrest.
Upon further investigation it was discovered, that the suspects vehicle which was left abandoned on South Beach Road was hijacked earlier this month in the Umhlali area.
A special thank you goes out to Durban North SAPS and Verulam SAPS for their rapid response and assistance.
A case of hijacking will be investigated by Durban North SAPS.
