Durban - A plan to get rid of his car backfired on a Durban businessman who apparently colluded with a police officer and his friend to stage a “hijacking” so he could claim from his insurance company.
The 47-year-old from Glenwood no longer wanted the Ford Mustang GT but feared he would make a loss if he sold it. He then conspired with his mechanic friend and an officer from Newlands East Police Station to stage a hijacking, crash and fire shots at the R1 million car.
The Mustang was a write-off, the airbags exploded and it was riddled with bullet holes after the “hijacking” which took place on December 19, in Newlands East.
A case was opened at the police station there for investigation.
But the insurance company became suspicious when the owner filed the claim.
According to a source close to the investigation, the company found discrepancies with the claim and scrutinised the “hijacking”. The case has since been handed over to the Hawks.
Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo, Hawks spokesperson, confirmed members from the Durban Serious Corruption Investigating Unit were looking into the matter.
Last week, the owner made a new statement to the Hawks which the Sunday Tribune had seen in which he admitted the hijacking was planned.
In the statement, the owner narrated the “true version” of how his friend and the constable staged a hijacking which he claimed he did not know about.
He said his friend asked him to bring R4000 in cash after he had told him he wanted to get rid of his Mustang. “My friend told me he will make a plan, I did not ask him what the plan was.
“On the day of the incident, I drove to my friend’s place with the cash he had requested but he was not there when I arrived. I called him to check on his location, he then told me I must go along with his plan,” he stated.
The owner said while he was on his way to meet his friend, he saw a car driving in the opposite direction.
“It came straight into my direction with a bright light. I stopped and I opened the window to check what was happening. While I was looking through the window I saw a male approaching my car pointing a gun at me.
“He grabbed me out of the vehicle and he instructed me to lie down on the ground. While I was on the ground I heard the door of my vehicle closing very badly and it drove off at high speed,” he said.
His car was later found a few metres away, riddled with bullets holes and crashed into a tree. He said it was his friend’s brother, the police constable, who shot at the car. They had planned the hijacking together, he claimed.
“The constable later came back to pick me up from where I was lying, he asked me to jump into his vehicle to go see my hijacked vehicle.
“While we were going to the vehicle the police told me that he is the one who shot my vehicle.
“He also said that I must not tell anyone anything with regards to what occurred. He even said he will guide me to submit my statement to the police.
“At the scene, I noticed that my vehicle was severely damaged on the left front side and the bullet holes were all over the body. Two police officers approached me and they wanted to take my statement. But the constable quickly answered on my behalf and he told the police that he will take my statement.”
The owner said after the insurance company found discrepancies he decided to tell the investigator the truth of what happened.
None of the men have been charged.