Johannesburg — A number of motorists travelling along the M1 and M2 in Johannesburg, were robbed of their belongings by five armed men during peak traffic hours, early on Tuesday morning.
According to Vision Tactial spokesperson, Yaseen Theba, the suspects were allegedly carrying 9mm guns and are suspected to be informal miners who used bridges to avoid being captured, TimesLIVE reported.
“According to reports, they were robbing commuters of their cellphones while motorists were stuck in traffic. Images of the alleged suspects have gone viral, and voice notes from witnesses providing descriptions of the suspects and detailing the robberies are also circulating.” Theba said.
Theba urged witnesses and victims to file reports at the Johannesburg Central police station to provide more details for investigators.
#JHBUpdate: Motorists on M1 near Gold Reef City, stay alert! Reports of five armed individuals disrupting traffic and targeting drivers. Members from our SSU & Law enforcement are swarming the area, aiding those affected and on the hunt for the perpetrators. Stay safe out there!…
— Vision Tactical (@visiontactical) February 20, 2024
News24 reported that the Johannesburg Metro Police Department’s (JMPD) Tactical Unit was dispatched to the M1 after they received several disturbing messages and voice notes about the gunmen. One of the voice notes allegedly revealed that some motorists crashed their cars, while anoter was hit in the back of the head.
“After receiving these reports, the JMPD tactical response unit was deployed to the area to search for the suspects. Officers are currently on scene and no one has been found,” JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said.
He urged the victims to come forward and open cases.
M1 near Gold Reef, JHB: five armed men reportedly in traffic robbing motorists.#CrimeWatch pic.twitter.com/kkBNACDSGW
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) February 20, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
