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Description:
Bicycle Hijacking Northern areas of 4ways
A dangerous pattern of Mountain Bike Hijacking has developed in the
Chartwell North area. It would appear that Mountain Bike riders
returning from Northern Farm via Herron Bridge to Fourways usually enter
via Chartwell North at the gate at Runnymeade - Cnr 9th or lower.
In the last 4 weeks there have been 3 armed bicycle hijackings in the
general area see detail below.
We would like to encourage people to ride in groups 4 or bigger, not to
stop for any suspicious pedestrian no matter how friendly they may seem.
• 1st 20 March - Husband and wife riders
Two cyclists were hijacked on Sat 20 March at about 10am just outside
Chartwell's bottom gate - (a lady that stables at Doug Andrew) her
husband and friend from overseas returned from cycling at Northern Farm.
They had gone over the Heron Bridge low level bridge and cycled up the
hill back to Chartwell. They were held up by two black men walking in
the road (one armed with a knife and one with a gun). The husband had
his T-shirt slashed open in front, lucky they did not shoot. Their two
bikes, wallet, ruck-sack, watches and cell phones were stolen.
• 2nd 27 March - 2 male riders
There apparently was an attack on 2 cyclists in the morning either in
Runnymead or the dirt road behind it. I was told that they were beaten
up quite badly I don't know what was taken from them.
• 3rd 9 April - 3 male riders
On Saturday 09/04/2010 at around 09H00 we were attached by two armed
African men whilst riding our Mountain Bikes, one had a knife and the
other a gun. This occurred as we were entering the gate at the bottom of
Ninth. The guys seemed friendly and even spoke to us before they
attacked, and had just been chatting to two ladies on horseback prior to
the incident. They seemed to know exactly what they were doing, and
obviously have done this before. After taking two bikes and our
backpacks they then went along the path to Diepsloot. While we were
lucky in the fact there were no injuries, the fact that they attacked
three guys in broad daylight and in the open, indicates just how brazen
they are, and with this latest success who knows what could be next.
NB Measures have been taken, however it should be realised that limited
resources can only cover limited areas and Cyclists should apply savvy
when out there.
Regards
Jerry De Beer
Chairperson |