Suspected hijackers caught after crashing vehicle

The suspects crashed the car during a chase.
Two suspected hijackers were arrested in Vredehoek last night.

Metro police officers, who were on patrol in the area, spotted a white VW Polo Vivo driving extremely slow down Orange Street in Gardens.

The officers became suspicious and followed it. Once the driver spotted the officers, he sped off.

A chase ensued along Mill Street. The driver lost control of the Polo, left the road and got lodged between a lamp post and a concrete bollard.

The two suspects jumped out of the vehicle and ran but they were caught a short while later.

Metro police spokesperson, Ruth Solomons, said: “When officers searched the vehicle, they found a Norinco Star 9mm pistol with the serial number filed off, with three rounds of live ammunition, three cellphones and a wi-fi router.”

SAPS Flying Squad members arrived at the scene and informed the officers that the vehicle had been hijacked in Ilitha Park, Khayelitsha, an hour earlier.

The suspects aged 23 and 26 were detained at Cape Town Central police station on charges of possession of a hijacked vehicle, prohibited firearm and reckless and negligent driving.

It was later discovered that one of the suspects was linked to cases of attempted murder, carjacking and armed robbery.