Kidnapping Victims Rescued by Johannesburg Cops in High Speed Chase: "These Guys Are Daring"
- JMPD officers were involved in a high-speed chase in Kensington after an attempted hijacking and kidnapping
- Police chased down a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi and rescued the two victims while detaining three suspects
- South Africans expressed shock on social media and commended the police for their swift response
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JOHANNESBURG - A daring hijacking in Kensington near Jeppestown, east of the Johannesburg CBD, ended in a high-speed pursuit and shootout between police and perpetrators on Saturday.
According to reports, JMPD officers were patrolling the area when they saw an attempted hijacking. Two people from the vehicle were taken and forced into a Toyota Quantum.
Source: Twitter
The officers jumped into action and sped after the assailants before firing shots at them to force their vehicle to stop. The JMPD's Xolani Fihla said three suspects were arrested.
They were reportedly out on bail for other crimes and were sought in connection with a spate of hijackings and violent robberies in Jeppestown. One suspect managed to evade the police, who managed to rescue the two victims.
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"The victims were forced out of their car at gunpoint. After seeing the officers, the suspects, travelling in a silver Toyota Etios with no number plate and a Quantum, took different routes," said Fihla.
TimesLIVE reported that officers went after the Quantum carrying the victims, during which a high-speed chase followed. Officers fired shots at the speeding minibus taxi to try and immobilise it.
"The driver lost control of the taxi and drove straight into a tree. Officers quickly arrested the suspects and recovered two 9mm pistols. The hostages were freed and examined for any injuries," Fihla added.
Preliminary investigations revealed the suspect in the Toyota Etios got away with a large sum of money taken from the hostages. JMPD acting chief Angie Mokasi commended the speedy interception by the officers.
Meanwhile, Gauteng police busted a manufacturing lab in Benoni, where drugs worth an estimated R3 million were confiscated in December. The Hawks arrested four men believed to be operating the facility, News24 reported.
Hats tipped to police work
On social media, keen observers commended the police for their work. Others decried the undoing of brave police work by a lax justice system. Briefly News takes a look at some of the comments below.
@Brigid Steenkamp wrote:
"OMG!! This trend is so sad and destabilising to the citizens as a whole. Violence has become a subtle war."
@Caleb Ntlhakana said:
"These guys are daring. They hijack even in the presence of police."
@Lukhs Mdledle added:
"It's good to have such cops who can save lives to prove their police calling."
Learner escapes attempted kidnapping in Joburg
Elsewhere, Briefly News previously reported that a matric learner from Sandringham High School reportedly escaped a brazen daylight kidnapping attempt in Johannesburg.
The Gauteng Department of Education said the alleged incident happened near Lyndhurst Primary School as the 18-year-old unnamed learner was walking to school, News24 reported.
"It is to our understanding that a white Chevrolet sedan with four men reportedly drove towards her. One of the armed men then allegedly attempted to drag her into the car," said education department spokesperson Steve Mabona.
Source: Briefly News
