Hijacker’s point-blank shot misses lucky New Germany motorist

A New Germany businesswoman was lucky to escape a hijacking unharmed when suspects fired a point-blank shot that shattered a window of her vehicle yesterday afternoon.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said the hijackers ambushed the businesswoman just after she drove out of a business premises in Pineside Road at around 4.30pm.
“The businesswoman was driving towards Escom Road when the suspects, driving an unknown vehicle, ambushed her at a traffic light intersection. Four suspects, two of them armed with firearms, jumped out of the vehicle. One of the suspects fired a point-blank shot which hit the window on the driver’s side of her vehicle. The bullet shattered the window, but fortunately missed the woman. The suspects then opened the door and demanded that she get out of her vehicle,” Mathios said.
“The suspects fled in her vehicle which contained two handbags with a large sum of cash, a cellphone and keys. The vehicle was later recovered in Cleremont where the suspects had abandoned it,” Mathios said.
Mathios advised business owners and managers to be vigilant when arriving and leaving their business premises with large sums of cash and to vary the route travelled to make it more difficult for criminals to target them.
“If possible try to avoid carrying large sums of cash and encourage customers and suppliers to rather pay with or accept card or EFT payments. But if you do need to work with cash, be sure to vary the days and times that you withdraw and deposit cash so that criminals who may be staking out your business will not be able to establish a pattern in your movements,” Mathios said.
“When you travel to and from the bank take a different route every time and be alert regarding any vehicles travelling behind you. If you sense that someone could be following you, rather drive to your nearest police station and contact your security company for assistance,” Mathios said.
Pinetown SAPS attended the scene of the crime.