North West police have urged motorists to be careful on the roads after a number of cars were hijacked in Coligny and Ventersdorp.
“Motorists travelling along the N14, R503, R53 and R52 roads between Ventersdorp and Coligny, as well as between Coligny and Lichtenburg and between Ventersdorp and Koster, are urged to exercise caution when stopping alongside the road or when ordered to stop by other motorists as (they) could be hijacking suspects,” the police said in a statement.
The warning comes after a number of cars were hijacked on the roads this year.
Police said a 34-year-old man was stopped close to Lichtenburg by a group of suspects wearing traffic police uniforms in August. They demanded his licence and allegedly threatened him with a firearm.
“The suspects then put him in the back of his bakkie and drove with him. He was left next to the road between Ventersdorp and Krugersdorp,” police said.
In another incident, also in August, a 28-year-old motorist was travelling between Ventersdorp and Coligny on the N14 when he stopped and offered a lift to a hitchhiker.
After driving for a couple of minutes, the driver stopped and offered a lift to two more passengers.
When he stopped to allow one of the passengers to alight from the vehicle, he was assaulted with a wheel spanner and the suspects sped off with his car, leaving him next to the road.
“Motorists are requested to exercise caution when stopped by unknown persons and to report such incidents to the nearest police station. If stopped by police or traffic officials and you feel unsafe or threatened, put on your hazard lights and slowly drive to the nearest police station.
“Never offer a lift to a hitchhiker and do not stop next to the road, except for an emergency. People stopping to relieve themselves have also fallen victim (to) crime,” said the police.