Johannesburg - Suspects pretending to be Ekurhuleni Metro Police officers and driving a car fitted with blue lights, have been arrested after allegedly trying to hijack a a courier vehicle.
The driver of the courier vehicle alerted the police who traced the car and arrested the men who were found with guns inside their vehicle.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Kay Makhubele, the courier vehicle was driving in Kempton Park when a car started flashing its light and beckoning it to stop.
Makhubele said the driver refused to stop and rather informed the police. It is not clear why the man was suspicious enough to call the police.
“Police officers received information about a white Toyota Corolla driving on the R21 in Kempton Park and with three occupants in the metro police uniform.
“The vehicle was spotted and stopped and one suspect tried to run away. Upon the search of the vehicle, two unlicensed firearms were recovered. The vehicle was installed with blue lights and all three suspects were arrested,” said Makhubele.
The three suspects aged 36 , 38 and 40 were charged with attempted hijacking, possession of unlicensed firearms and impersonating the police.
They were expected to appear at the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Monday.
In May this year, two fake cops who allegedly kidnapped and extorted R2000 from a victim in Johannesburg were nabbed by the Gauteng police.
Joburg Police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said at the time that a 35-year-old man had been walking in Mayfair when he was stopped by the fake cops who were driving a silver grey VW Polo.
“They were wearing face masks with a police emblem and they told him they are police officers. They searched him and took him to their vehicle.
“They demanded R2 000 for his release. He phoned his brother to organise the money and he alerted the police,” he said.
IOL