Update

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - A 30-year old truck driver had a lucky escape when he was rescued by members of Graaff-Reinet Police after being hijacked by armed men in Port Elizabeth.

The incident happened last Wednesday, 15 May, at about 07:30. 

The truck driver, who works for Handro Ferreira from Patensie, was at the Shoprite depot in Deal Party to offload sugar for Shoprite. He was inside the truck when he was approached by two men, armed with handguns. 

They forced him into the back seat sleeping area, where he was held with a blanket over his head at gunpoint by one of the men.

The other suspect drove the truck away, and three other armed men also got into the vehicle when it stopped at traffic lights.

The vehicle was then driven towards Graaff-Reinet, stopping at a few places next to the road for sugar to be offloaded onto other vehicles. Some of the suspects also left the truck, until the hijacked driver could only hear two men left in the vehicle.

The truck was driven through Graaff-Reinet and about 24km towards Middelburg before stopping. The two remaining suspects tied up the driver with tape and left, possibly in a waiting vehicle. The victim lay still for a long time until he felt sure that the suspects had left, and then managed to untie himself. He phoned the Graaff-Reinet police, who rushed to the scene. The area around the abandoned vehicle was searched, but there was no sign of any suspicious-looking people in the vicinity.

The amount of sugar that was taken, and its value, is not known at this stage.

The case is under investigation by the Swartkops SAPS. Fortunately there are two security cameras inside the truck, and it is hoped that footage from these will yield some valuable information.

Read a previous article: SAPS rescue hijacked truck driver

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