Cape Town – Police, with the assistance of AfriForum neighbourhood watch teams, are hunting the armed suspects who hijacked a BMW in which four children of a wealthy businessman were being transported to a private school.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed the incident, which took place near the N1 in Polokwane – on Church Street on the R71 route – and said officers had been activated to track down the children, Times Live reported.
Community policing forum media liaison officer Francois Swart said a Kia and a black Mercedes-Benz had pulled up along side the driver transporting the children, flagging him down.
ABDUCTION OF 4 SCHOOL KIDS : N1 ONRAMP FROM CHURCH STR. POLOKWANE. LP. 4 PERPS ARMED WITH R5'S & HANDGUNS BLOCKED MV, SMASHED DRIVERS WINDOW. FIRED SHOTS. KIDS MOVED TO ANOTHER MV & ABDUCTED.@SAPoliceService@GTP_Traffstats @TrafficRTMC @SANRAL_za @_ArriveAlive @cci_network
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) October 20, 2021
The suspects, armed with R5 rifles and handguns, broke a window and then unlocked the vehicle. A grey SUV then arrived on the scene and the children – aged six, 11, 13 and 15 – were kidnapped and moved to another vehicle. Shots were reportedly fired.
According to a social media post by AfriForum’s Andries Opperman, the SUV involved in the hijacking is a Toyota Fortuner, The Citizen reported.
Reports of four children being kidnapped in Polokwane- en route to school. #CrimeWatch
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) October 20, 2021
The last direction the Toyota Fortuner was seen travelling in was on the N1 North towards Makhado. The parents of the children are currently with police, Opperman added.
The hijacked BMW in which the children were being transported was later found abandoned.
Anyone with information about this incident can contact the 24-hour Crime Stop number on 086-001-0111.
IOL