Metro Police were doing patrols in Athlone when neighborhood watch patrollers desperately flagged them down. They had just witnessed one of their residents, who had left their vehicle idling outside their house, but since their elderly family member was in the passenger seat, dashed inside to fetch an item.
In that small window of opportunity, a gunman appeared, threatened the elderly passenger, and made off with the vehicle while kidnapping the passenger.
Metro Police sprang into action. Chasing after the direction of the vehicle, they were joined by members from Traffic Services, pursuing the suspect along the M5 highway. In his attempt to evade the officers, he diverted off at Kenilworth but was surrounded on Racecourse Rd close to Kenilworth Centre. With the suspect in custody, the 88-year-old female, now in shock, was transported to Groote Schuur Hospital.
This wasn't the only hijacking incident attended to on Sunday. In the early hours of the morning, Law Enforcement officers on patrol at Lions Head came across a parked vehicle and the three occupants hurriedly exited while frantically calling the officers for help.
They were just in the process of being robbed and hijacked, but the approaching Law Enforcement vehicle had caused the suspects to scatter. One suspect had allegedly fallen down the mountainside, in his attempt to get away. An officer made his way to the edge of the terrain and noticed the suspect had lost a shoe in his rapid descent, of which had become lodged in the bushes. Down below in the roadway, the suspect could be seen, walking casually away.
Members responded and pursued the suspect, eventually apprehending him in Kloof Street. Still walking with only one shoe, his getaway attempt proved futile. The 39-year-old male, residing in Plumstead, was arrested for Armed Robbery and Hijacking.
Unfortunately, both other suspects, along with the firearm, could not be found.