"High-tech" hijacking syndicates focused their attention on trucks during July, August and September as 99 new cases of truck hijackings were recorded in SA.
Revealing the crime statistics for the second quarter of 2020/2021 in Pretoria on Friday, police minister Bheki Cele said there had been a 1.6% decrease in cases of carjacking, with 79 fewer cases, but a 31.7% increase in truck hijackings.
Despite the dismal figures, Cele told the media police in the past week had made a major breakthrough in the arrests of those committing truck hijackings.
While mum on the details of the investigations, Cele revealed the syndicates had gone high-tech to commit these crimes.
"A few days ago we had a serious breakthrough in truck hijackings. We have arrested top guys with top technology they are using to hijack trucks. They have their own [truck] horses. When they hijack the trucks, they take off the horses and they put their horses on the trailers."
The statistics cover the period July 1 to September 30.
TimesLIVE
#CrimeStats: Truck hijackings soar with 99 new cases as 'high-tech' syndicates swoop in
"High-tech" hijacking syndicates focused their attention on trucks during July, August and September as 99 new cases of truck hijackings were recorded in SA.
Revealing the crime statistics for the second quarter of 2020/2021 in Pretoria on Friday, police minister Bheki Cele said there had been a 1.6% decrease in cases of carjacking, with 79 fewer cases, but a 31.7% increase in truck hijackings.
Despite the dismal figures, Cele told the media police in the past week had made a major breakthrough in the arrests of those committing truck hijackings.
While mum on the details of the investigations, Cele revealed the syndicates had gone high-tech to commit these crimes.
"A few days ago we had a serious breakthrough in truck hijackings. We have arrested top guys with top technology they are using to hijack trucks. They have their own [truck] horses. When they hijack the trucks, they take off the horses and they put their horses on the trailers."
The statistics cover the period July 1 to September 30.
TimesLIVE
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