The police in Gauteng are looking for three suspects who hijacked a marked police van, robbed the police officer and forced him to drive them to Winterveld where they later dumped the car on the side of the road.

THE HIJACKING

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the operational commander of Temba police station outside Tshwane had volunteered to drop off two victims who were at the station to open criminal cases. The victims had said they didn't have money for a taxi when the officer on duty offered to take them home. After dropping off the second victim, three  suspects with guns accosted him and hijacked on Sunday afternoon. The suspects forced the officer to drive them to Winterveld where they robbed him of his belongings including a cellphone and cash. The  marked police vehicle was later found abandoned on the side of the road in Winterveld.

UNACCEPTABLE

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola has condemned the incident. "We cannot have a situation where police officers go beyond the call of duty by dropping off victims at their homes to make sure they are safe and such a heinous act happens. It cannot be that the same community that we are protecting are attacking our members," Masemola said. 

Masemola has pleaded with the community to hand over those responsible for the crime. 

"The police have launched a manhunt for the three suspects and we are calling on members of the public to work together with members of the SAPS to prevent and combat criminality," Masemola added.