Africa-Press – Namibia. GIVEN the high number of vehicle hijacking cases reported all over the country, the police are warning all road users to be cautious when they see objects placed on roads.
This comes after the police noticed criminals are finding new ways of hijacking vehicles by putting sticks, stones and waste bins on roads.
A man at Endola in the Ohangwena region was last week allegedly hijacked by five men who threw stones at his car. According to the victim, he saw people in the road carrying items and was not concerned.
He was shocked when he saw a stone hitting his car window, and another hit his chest. He stopped his vehicle, chased the perpetrators, got hold of one, beat him, tied him up, loaded him onto his bakkie and took him to Oshakati Police Station.
Another incident was reported at Oshakati, in which a man was allegedly attacked when he gave three men a lift to Onawa at Oshakati.
According to Oshana police regional spokesperson inspector Thomas Aiyambo, the victim stopped at a service station on his way home.
“One suspect approached him, asking for a lift to Onawa. The victim agreed to take them halfway, to Oneshila. Two males in the back of his vehicle and the one who asked for the lift got into the passenger seat,” he says.
Aiyambo says when the driver tried to stop at Oneshila, the three men off, the one in front produced a knife and ordered the driver to proceed to Onawa.
“The driver obeyed. While at Onawa, the suspect could not indicate exactly where he should stop. The driver decided to stop the car. The two in the back shouted that they should take the car,” he says.
The man in front with the knife started scuffling with the driver over the steering wheel.
The driver then moved the vehicle forward.
A passenger was stabbed as a result of the fight and died instantly.
The suspects then fled the scene.
The deceased has been taken to the Oshakati police mortuary.
Another hijacking took place at Otjomuise in Windhoek on Saturday.
A man pointed a firearm at a driver and robbed her of her Volkswagen Tiguan, necklace, Samsung A53 cellphone and N$400 in cash.
National police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi says the value of all items have not been determined yet, and no recovery has been made.
She warns that vehicle hijacking incidents are on the increase, with new criminal trends emerging daily.
“The public must be cautious of these tricks. Never get out of your vehicle when you see stones on the road. Rather try to use alternative routes, because you never know who is ambushing you,” she says.
She says drivers must and never leave their vehicles – especially at night and in isolated areas.
“If it’s during the day and there are other motorists on the road, you can get out and remove the stones, but if there is no sign of people, stay in your vehicle and use a different route,” she says.
She encourages road users to inform the police if they see rocks, stones or any material on the road.
Oshana police regional commander Sakaria Lungameni has also confirmed the increasing number of hijackings and robberies in the region.
Lungameni says the police in the Oshana region have held community meetings to educate the public on the dangers of criminal activities, and has warned the public to desist from getting involved in criminal activities.
“As a driver, if you see a stone or stick in the road, whatever time of the day it is, do not get out of your vehicle to remove it. Reverse and use another route. Notify the police so that we can come and remove it,” he says.
He says the public must report any suspicious or criminal activities to the police.
“We have people pretending to be traffic officers as well, but due to the assistance we get from the public we always manage to apprehend these suspects,” Lungameni says.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
