Brakpan police are investigating multiple serious incidents after a violent weekend that included armed hijackings with kidnapping, home burglaries and vehicle thefts, police reports show.
Two separate hijackings with victims assaulted and forced to withdraw cash
On Friday evening a Muir Avenue resident was robbed of his vehicle and abducted when he arrived home at about 19:30, according to a police report. The victim had parked a white Hyundai i30 in his driveway and, while opening the gate, was confronted by four men armed with firearms.
The assailants forced him into the back seat of the car, covered his face and bound his hands with cable ties. They drove off with the victim and also took his cellphone and wallet. The attackers reportedly used the victim’s banking apps to transfer money from his accounts. The man was later dropped off in Tsakani, where a passer-by assisted him and he was taken to a police station. A case of hijacking and kidnapping has been opened.
Also on Saturday night, a man and his girlfriend were held during a second hijacking. The couple had arrived at a residence on Station Road at about 20:00 when a black vehicle pulled up behind them and two men exited. One was carrying a firearm, which he pointed at the male driver. The victim was forced back into his car; he then realised there were three hijackers in total, all wearing balaclavas.
The hijackers drove the couple around, assaulted the male victim on the head with a firearm and took his iPhone, demanding the PIN to unlock it. The perpetrators subsequently withdrew money from the victim’s bank account and later dropped the couple off in Withok before fleeing. A case of hijacking and kidnapping was opened following the incident.
Other thefts and burglaries reported
Police reports list additional property crimes across Brakpan during the same weekend:
- A white Isuzu bakkie was stolen from an address on Burns Street in Dalpark.
- A white Kia K2700 was reported stolen from the corner of Kitzinger Avenue and Park Street.
- A home on Derby Avenue was burgled; items taken included a television, a microwave and other household goods.
Reports also note an assault linked to one of the hijackings, and that in both incidents suspects used victims’ mobile devices or banking apps to access funds.
| Day | Reported incident | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | Hijacking and kidnapping; cellphone and wallet taken; banking apps used | Muir Avenue; victim later dropped in Tsakani |
| Saturday | Hijacking with assault; phone taken; funds withdrawn | Station Road; couple dropped in Withok |
| Saturday | Vehicle theft | Burns Street, Dalpark |
| Saturday | Vehicle theft | Kitzinger Avenue & Park Street |
| Saturday | House burglary | Derby Avenue |
Police records include an additional mention of a family robbery in Dalpark on Sunday, in Etosha Avenue, but the report is incomplete in the dispatch notes provided.
Context and policing implications
The incidents reflect a pattern seen in parts of Gauteng where criminal groups target motorists at gates or driveways, and then exploit victims’ mobile devices or banking apps to obtain cash. The involvement of firearms and the restraint of victims — including the use of cable ties in the Friday incident — are aggravating factors that carry significant legal consequences if suspects are arrested and charged.
SAPS has opened cases of hijacking and kidnapping in relation to the two incidents described. Investigations are ongoing; police have not reported any arrests in the cases cited in the weekend summary.
The weekend round-up underscores continued concerns about vehicle-related violent crime and the increasing use of victims’ banking and mobile platforms by offenders to immediately monetise thefts.
