Police have shot dead four suspects and arrested two more in an alleged foiled hijacking of a courier vehicle in Gauteng on Wednesday morning.
According to Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, officers received information about the planned criminal activity and an operation was set in place.
He said the vehicles being used by suspects were spotted along Olifantsfontein Road in Glen Austin, Midrand, a while later.
"Upon realising that the team was about to pounce, the suspects fired shots and a high-speed chase, as well as a shootout, ensued. Four suspects were fatally wounded and two others suffered minor injuries. They were attended to at the scene," Mogale said.
He said the truck was apparently couriering electronic devices.
Mogale added that two unlicensed firearms were recovered on the scene. The four vehicles used by the suspects had questionable origins which were under investigation.
The multidisciplinary team involved in the bust included officers from the Special Task Force, National Crime Intelligence, Gauteng Traffic Saturation unit, Bad Boyz Security and members of the Hawks' tactical operations management section.
In December, police in KwaZulu-Natal recovered 148 cellphones, stolen when thieves hijacked a courier vehicle in Umkomaas, south of Durban.
Just a month before, a courier van was hijacked in Isipingo. At the time, police said the driver was travelling in Alexandra Avenue when he was accosted. He was also robbed of his personal cellphone.
IOL