KZN police on the hunt for cigarette thieves

Members of the Newcastle K9 unit and task team in northern KZN are on the hunt for three suspects who hijacked a tobacco truck, carrying thousands of cigarettes, on Monday. 

According to police spokesperson Lt Col Thulani Zwane, the vehicle was hijacked between Dundee and Vryheid road near Tayside at about 10am. 

"It is alleged that two victims were driving a tobacco vehicle along Dundee and Vryheid road when they were allegedly stopped by three occupants of a VW Polo vehicle. They were threatened with firearms and the victims stopped and fled the scene on foot.

"The suspects chased and caught them. They were forced into the suspects' vehicle and drove away with the victims' tobacco vehicle following each other. "

Zwane said when they reached Utrecht area, it is alleged that the suspects offloaded the boxes of tobacco into their Polo and a Quantum that joined them. The suspects then fled,  leaving the tobacco vehicle and the victims behind.