Alleged truck hijackers' luck runs out in shoot-out near casino in Gauteng

21 November 2019 - 08:18 By TimesLIVE
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The truck was traced and recovered at a filling station.
The truck was traced and recovered at a filling station.
Image: SAPS

Barely two hours after a truck carrying R4m worth of clothing and electronics was hijacked in Johannesburg, the alleged perpetrators’ luck ran out when they stopped near a casino and found themselves dodging bullets.

The logistics truck left a warehouse in Pomona, Kempton Park, just after 11am on Wednesday and, shortly afterwards, “tracker agents picked up a jamming signal and immediately activated a response team”, said police spokesperson Brig Mathapelo Peters.

Tracker agents, private security and police traced the truck to at a filing station near Carnival City Casino. A white Nissan Almera and a Hyundai i10 were allegedly escorting the truck.

“On noticing the approaching police vehicle, the two suspicious vehicles sped off and there was an exchange of fire as the suspects allegedly started firing shots at the Tracker agent and security officers. One suspect was wounded during the shoot-out and was rushed to hospital, where he is under police guard,” said Peters.

Police cornered the Nissan Almera about 1km away from the filling station.

Six suspects were arrested and two illegal firearms and a jamming device were recovered.

Police are still searching for the suspects who were in the Hyundai.

Ronias Tavenga, a Zimbabwean truck driver, was the victim of a petrol bombing in April 2019. The devastating burns have left Tavenga crippled. He is one of many who have been drastically affected by ongoing violence in the transportation sector.


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