A car belonging to an Mpumalanga businesswoman who was hijacked has been found dumped near a shopping complex.
The woman was hijacked at Shatale township near Bushbuckridge on Monday morning and her car was recovered near the Dwarsloop shopping complex on Tuesday afternoon.
“Police patrolling the area became suspicious when they noticed that the car had been parked at the complex for a long time. Upon investigation, it was found that the car had been hijacked the day before,” said provincial Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Hlathi on Wednesday.
Hlathi said the car had already been returned to the woman, who runs a business with her husband in the township.
He said the hijacking took place after the woman collected money from the business.
As she drove away, she realised she was being followed.
“When she realised she was being followed the thugs started firing shots in the air. She then stopped her vehicle near Sekhukhuza High School and ran inside the school to ask for help. The four men, who had been following her, got inside her car and sped off with the money,” said Hlathi. “The suspects were able to get away with an undisclosed amount of cash that was in the car. We suspect that the robbers know her very well.”
Hlathi said the money had not been recovered, but that police had opened a docket of armed robbery and car hijacking.
He urged anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact their nearest police station.
May 16, 2011
Current Affairs