Police have urged motorists to be on alert in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North West due to the increase in tyre-spiking cases in these provinces.
According to Mpumalanga police, a total of 24 tyre-spiking incidents have occurred in the province within 18 days. In most of the reported incidents, police said the suspects were armed with guns.
Explaining robbers’ modus operandi, traffic authorities in Gauteng said objects such as rocks are thrown from overhead bridges to force motorists to stop or lose control of their vehicles before robbing them.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Lionel Nyathi said: “These incidents usually occur late in the evening or early hours of the morning.
’’Once motorists drive over these objects, their tyres get punctured or their vehicles damaged in the process, so they are forced to stop and inspect their vehicles.
’’While doing so, the suspects then violently approach and rob them of valuables, such as cellphones, laptops, clothing items, cameras, firearms, jewellery as well as sums of cash, amongst others,” he said on Saturday.
The roads where the incidents took place include:
- N4 highway in Middelburg, Bethal and Kendall;
- Phola/Ogies on the N12 near Arbor off-ramp;
- Delmas along the N12;
- Bronkorstspruit towards Witbank along the N4 highway;
- Belfast on the N4 next to Wonderfontein and Acornhoek in Matsikitsane area;
- Witbank on Dellville Street, Verena Road and the R555 Old Ogies Road;
- Calcutta area, the R40 around Marite area.
IOL