Three suspected hijackers were arrested in Port Elizabeth after allegedly stopping the vehicle and asking for a lift, in KwaNobuhle outside Uitenhage on Sunday afternoon.
The arrests came after the hijacked Mazda 323 was spotted by police driving in Henry Ford Road, Korsten, five hours after the hijacking.
Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said that the 38-year-old driver was hijacked at about 5:15pm on Sunday after being forced to stop in the Gunguluza area, in KwaNobuhle.
“The three men were walking in the street when they waved down the Mazda which also operates as a jikeleza. As the vehicle came to a stop, the men requested a lift to Mabandla Road, KwaNobuhle. It is further alleged that one of the males suddenly cocked a firearm and instructed the driver to move to the back seat while another male got into the driver seat. The three suspects then drove off to Melbrooks Avenue, Uitenhage and dropped the vehicle owner in the street,” she said.
“The suspects then sped off with the car in the direction of Port Elizabeth. The owner of the vehicle alerted the police and gave them the description of the vehicle and the registration number, it was circulated by members of the Uitenhage 10111 Centre.”
Swart said that by 10pm, Port Elizabeth K9 unit members spotted the car in Korsten and pulled the vehicle off the road.
“Police investigations revealed that it was the hijacked vehicle,” she said.
All three men inside the car, aged between 20 and 26-years, were arrested and the vehicle was confiscated.
Swart said that while no firearm was found inside the car, detectives were looking into whether the same men were linked to other hijackings in the Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth area.
All three are due to appear in the KwaNobuhle Magistrates Court on Wednesday for hijacking.