Two arrested for trying to hijack a fuel tanker

Free State police arrested two foreign nationals for attempting to hijack a fuel tanker on the N5, outside Paul Roux, at midnight on Thursday.

The men, aged 35 and 44, are expected to appear in the Senekal Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

They face charges of attempted truck hijacking and another charge related to being in possession of a radio reception blocking device.

The diesel tanker was travelling from Durban to Bloemfontein on the N5, near Harrismith, around 23.50 when the driver noticed a VW Polo and a Nissan Hardbody.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, however, said three vehicles had allegedly been in pursuit of the tanker.

He said one individual got onto the tanker’s trailer and attempted to “hook it off”.

He said the driver managed to escape, and reported the incident to the police at Paul Roux.

“The Paul Roux police immediately activated Highway Patrol on the N5, who came and found the truck. Upon further search, they found two suspects with devices and arrested them,” said Mophiring.

The Bethlehem Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit later established that the two people arrested were in possession of jamming devices, said Mophiring.

The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Crime Combating Highway Patrol Unit made the arrest, said Mophiring.

“The arrest came at the right time after re-deployments and additional visibility increase of 24/7 patrol vehicles by the provincial commissioner’s office on national roads, mitigating trucks, car hijackings and cash-in-transit incidents,” said Mophiring.