A MANHUNT is underway for three suspects involved in a brazen car hijacking that escalated into a shootout with private security officers. The incident began when a blue and grey Volkswagen Golf was reported stolen in Newtown, Inanda.

According to reports from Empire Protection Services, the alarm was raised by Netstar Tracker, which allowed security teams to pinpoint the last coordinates of the hijacked vehicle.

Swift action ensued as the tracking team raced to the scene, only to find themselves in a dangerous standoff with the suspects. Upon noticing the tracking officers attempting to flag them down, the suspects allegedly opened fire, which triggered an exchange of gunfire

“After attempting to stop the vehicle, members of the private security industry, together with tracking agents came under fire from the suspects, who attempted to flee. The retaliation caused the suspects to misjudge a turn and crashed the vehicle.They then fled the scene on foot,” read and extract from the statement released by Empire Protection Services.

It was discovered that the suspects abandoned a cellphone and a firearm, which were recovered as evidence.

The hijacked Volkswagen in question is being held by the SAPS, together with the recovered items. It was reported that no law enforcement officers were injured during the confrontation.

The attempted hijacking and shootout drama cast a spotlight on the rising incidents of hijackings in the area, an issue that continues to plague residents and security services alike.

This incident comes on the back of the killing of the notorious Inanda-based West Gang ringleader, Mnqobi Nzimande, 22, who was also known Hilter 10. He was buried over the weekend. He died in a shootout with police officers in Verulam.

In a separate incident, three suspects were gunned after a confrontation with police in Bhambayi, Inanda, last week. Several guns were recovered at the scene.

On Tuesday, Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, held a crime Imbizo in Inanda to find solutions to curb the soaring crime rate in the township located in the north of Durban, which is also known as the murder capital of the country due to its high murder rate.

DAILY NEWS