Brazen or desperate? 23-year-old arrested after allegedly trying to hijack two cars minutes apart

A 23-year-old man was arrested in Philippi after allegedly attempting to hijack two vehicles just minutes apart, in what Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith described as either an incredibly brazen or desperate crime spree.

The suspect was among 527 people arrested across the City of Cape Town last week for various offences.

Metro police officers made 127 arrests and recovered eight stolen or hijacked vehicles, six firearms and various quantities of drugs.

Their law enforcement counterparts made 316 arrests and issued 13,828 notices.

Traffic officers recorded 84 arrests, 72 for driving under the influence of alcohol, four for reckless or negligent driving and eight for other offences. They also issued 56,200 fines, executed 2,098 warrants of arrest and impounded 16 public transport vehicles.

The city’s Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) received 2,782 calls for assistance over the weekend, including reports of 151 physical assaults, 77 domestic violence incidents and 85 road accidents, 20 of which involved pedestrians.

According to Smith, an off-duty metro police officer witnessed a hijacking in progress at the intersection of Sheffield and Govan Mbeki roads in Philippi on Sunday afternoon.

The officer immediately called for back-up and activated his vehicle’s blue lights in an attempt to deter the suspects.

“Officers were quick to respond, forcing the suspects to abandon the vehicle and flee into a nearby informal settlement. During the pursuit, one of the suspects pointed a firearm at officers before disappearing between the shacks,” Smith said.

But the suspects did not go far.

“Moments later, the suspects returned to Sheffield Road and tried to hijack another vehicle. Officers responded swiftly, resulting in the arrest of a 23-year-old,” Smith said.

He described the suspects’ decision to allegedly attempt another hijacking moments after abandoning the first vehicle as either “incredibly brazen or desperate”.

“The investigation must include checking whether they might have been trying to flee another crime scene at the time,” Smith said.

He commended officers for their swift response and for following up on the initial incident, which led to the arrest.

The suspect is expected to face several charges, including attempted murder, pointing of a firearm, hijacking, resisting arrest and possession of a stolen cellphone.

He was handed over to Philippi East SAPS for further processing and investigation.

Two vehicles, a black Mitsubishi Xpander and a silver/grey Renault Triber, were recovered and taken to the Bellville South Vehicle Impound.

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