Officers rescue girl, 5, after hijacker abandons her during dramatic chase

A five-year-old girl from Blue Downs in Cape Town, who was caught up in a vehicle hijacking, was safely reunited with her family after law enforcement officers acted swiftly to track down the suspect and rescue her.

Cape Town MMC for safety and security JP Smith detailed how the incident unfolded on the morning of May 21.

“Shortly before 9am the five-year-old girl and her father were held at gunpoint on their arrival home.

“The hijackers forcibly removed her father from the vehicle and fled the scene with the scared little girl still inside the vehicle,” Smith said.

The child’s father immediately sought help from nearby law enforcement officers who happened to be in the area.

“At the time law enforcement officer Chimoney Abrahams and her colleagues who are deployed to provide escorts for the energy directorate were passing by when they were flagged down by the hysterical father who explained what had transpired.

“The officers immediately sped off in the direction that the hijacked vehicle was last seen driving and contacted their colleagues for assistance,” Smith said.

He said the suspect abandoned the child during the pursuit and attempted to evade capture.

The suspect left the girl on the side of the road and fled into nearby bushes. Abrahams spotted the man, who was attempting to change his appearance by removing his clothing, and apprehended the 32-year-old suspect.

The suspect was subsequently handed over to the South African Police Service.

“Meanwhile, along with the community, the rest of the team managed to locate the girl and return her safely to her family,” Smith said.

The family recently met with the city’s safety and security leadership to express their gratitude to the officers involved in the rescue.

“It was heartwarming to witness her family expressing their gratitude to the officers.

“Their swift action in apprehending the suspect and safeguarding this little girl is commendable and testament to the ethos we try to promote in the safety and security directorate,” Smith said.

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