Durban - Motorists have been warned to be vigilant following a spate of hijackings in Durban this week.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said two of the most recent hijackings occurred outside homes in Glenmore on Thursday night.
Mathios said a man was hijacked outside a property in Alton Road where he went to visit his girlfriend at around 10.15pm.
“The couple was standing outside the property next to his vehicle chatting when a gang of three hijackers held them up. One of the suspects produced a firearm and a second suspect pulled out a knife,” Mathios said.
“They robbed the woman of her cellphone, jumped into her boyfriend’s vehicle, which already had its keys in the ignition, and sped off. The vehicle was later recovered in Chesterville. No injuries were reported,” Mathios said.
Umbilo SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Earlier last night a Glenmore resident was hijacked in Nicolai Crescent after she drove just a few blocks to visit a neighbour at around 7.30pm.
“The resident was still sitting in her vehicle outside the property when three suspects hijacked her of her vehicle. No injuries were reported,” Mathios said.
Umbilo SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Mathios said the two latest hijackings followed an earlier incident in Pinetown on Tuesday when a woman was hijacked when she sat chatting on her cellphone while parked outside a business premises during her lunch break. The hijackers fired a shot as they fled the scene. There were no injuries. He said it was unclear at this stage whether the hijackings were linked.
Mathios warned motorists to be vigilant when stopping their vehicles to park along the road and when pulling into driveways, which are known hotspots for hijackings.
“Motorists must minimise the time they spend sitting in their vehicles in public places to guard against becoming an easy targets for hijackers. If your cellphone rings rather ignore it and wait until you can take the call once you are parked safely inside the property,” Mathios said.
“Never sit in your car or stand around outside chatting next to your vehicle as this makes you a prime target for robbers and hijackers.”