Carletonville motorist wrestles gun, flees hijackers; suspect arrested

According to The Citizen (Carletonville Herald), a Carletonville motorist staged a daring escape from armed hijackers on 3 August after grabbing a firearm and fleeing to safety.

What happened

The incident occurred at 09:00 when the 32-year-old driver was heading toward the corner of Dolomite Street and Reinecke Street in a white Mahindra bakkie. A black Suzuki hatchback pulled up alongside him, the report says.

A rear-seat passenger from the Suzuki exited, brandished a firearm and removed the Mahindra’s keys from the ignition. A second accomplice approached the passenger side and also threatened the driver with a gun, The Citizen (Carletonville Herald) reported.

Escape and immediate response

The armed men forced the motorist into the middle seat and drove him to the Block 8 informal housing area near Blyvooruitzicht. The car owner grabbed a firearm tucked into one of the hijackers’ sides; as the weapon fell to the ground he pulled up the handbrake and ran from the vehicle to safety, according to The Citizen (Carletonville Herald).

The resident then immediately alerted local police, who broadcast a nationwide lookout for the stolen Mahindra and the suspects, the report says.

Police tracking and arrest

Law enforcement officials tracked the vehicle’s movements using security cameras, enabling members of the SAPS Rapid Response Unit to give chase. Officers intercepted the vehicle near Bekkersdal and arrested a 53-year-old suspect from Soweto in connection with the incident, The Citizen (Carletonville Herald) reported.