Car-hijacking in Greater Midstream

<b>Car-hijacking in Greater Midstream</b>

GMF Security reported that an attempted and also an actual car-hijacking took place on Friday afternoon, the 27th of November.

An attempt at a car-hijacking took place just before 2pm on Friday afternoon when the resident was driving along Meadows Drive. The resident was able to drive around the car that attempted to cut it off, drove towards his estate and reached home safely. The resident reported the attempt a few hours later.

Shortly after the first attempt, another resident was also driving on Meadows Drive (the K220 road) when an Audi Q5 passed her at a speed bump behind the Ascend to Midstream construction site and cut the driver off, forcing her to stop. Three armed suspects exited from the Audi, forced her to the back of her car and then took off with her.

Through the number plate recognition system, it was established later that the vehicles exited Greater Midstream along Brakfontein Road.

The incident was seen by another resident who used the Midstream App to report the hijacking. All the spike booms went into “code red”, which prevents the overriding of the spikes with the purpose of slowing the flow of traffic. All security personnel were alerted of the incident and required to report any activity on the two vehicles. The security control room retraced the activities of the vehicles captured on the number plate recognition system and determined that the vehicles already left the area whereafter the “code red” was lifted.The perpetrators released the driver in an industrial area and provided money for her to return home, assuring her that the car was their target. She returned home unharmed and was able to submit a comprehensive report of her ordeal to SAPS.

The matter has been reported to the SAPS in full and the number plates of the two vehicles are now loaded on the SAPS system. The car that was hijacked has already been found in Soweto and a suspect arrested.

The GMF security team has arranged to post another response vehicle at the intersection of Meadows and Midstream Drives for the next 6 weeks to enhance visual policing.

Residents are requested to remain alert whilst driving, limit time spent on a mobile phone while driving and also ensure that handbags and other valuables are not on display on the passenger seat of their vehicles. Also remember to lock your car doors. Should an incident occur, and it is safe to do so, try to reach the safety of one of the estates.