Johannesburg – Gauteng motorists should be on high alert for criminals placing spikes or objects on public roads especially on Friday evenings and throughout the weekend between 6pm and 4am.
This comes after an increase in incidents where motorists have been targeted by robbers, either through the placing of spikes on roads or heavy objects being thrown from overhead bridges.
On Friday night, a suspect who allegedly placed spikes on the R80 highway near Pretoria was shot dead by a motorist.
When the motorist then tried to change a punctured tyre at around 9pm, the suspects fired shots at the motorist and his family. The motorist fired back, fatally wounding one suspect while his two accomplices, who are alleged to be part of a syndicate, fled.
Earlier this month, Limpopo police arrested four suspects believed to be part of a spiking gang terrorising motorists along the N1 and R101 between Polokwane and Pretoria.
Police are working hard to reduce spiking incidents along the N4 and R566 highways particularly.
“The modus operandi is that these criminals move from one area to the other where the roads are quiet to rob motorists of their hard-earned cash and other belongings.
“These incidents happen especially on Friday evenings and throughout the weekend between 18h00 and 04h00 in the morning,” the Gauteng Traffic Police said.
The following routes have been identified as hot spots for such acts:
- The N4 Mpumalanga to Pretoria between Solomon Mahlangu and Watermeyer Offramp.
- The N4 Pretoria to Mpumalanga between Bronkhorstspruit and Balmoral off-ramp.
- The N1 Polokwane N4 Mpumalanga interchange in Pretoria.
- The N4 to Rustenburg between R80 Mabopane Freeway and Brits plaza tollgate.
- Golden Highway.
- R21 Freeway from OR Tambo International Airport to Pretoria.
IOL