Boys hijacked by 'cops'
2008-04-03 08:04
Johannesburg - Two boys were held hostage for more than an hour in a 'police vehicle' after hijackers had pretended to be cops and kidnapped the boys.
Four of the hijackers later dropped the two friends, Andreas Rossouw, 17, and Pierre Pfeffer, 17, pupils at St John's College in Houghton, unharmed in Langlaagte.
According to Pierre's father, Karl, the fifth hijacker went off with the white Mercedes-Benz C220 of Andreas's mother, Elma.
Karl said Elma had gone to fetch the boys at school on Wednesday afternoon.
Pierre, who had a learner's licence, then drove.
On the way home, they stopped at a house in Westdene to drop something off, said Karl.
The boys waited in the car while Elma went into the house.
Wore police pullovers
Moments later, a vehicle with a police light stopped behind them, said Karl.
Two men got out. Karl said: "They were wearing civilian clothes with police pullovers. They asked Pierre to show them his driver's licence.
"They told Andreas to get out and lean against the car with his hands up.
The "police officers" ordered them to get in the "police vehicle".
Three other men apparently also were in the vehicle.
"One of the men in the passenger seat turned around and put a gun in Andreas's face and said: 'Shut up and do exactly what we tell you to do'," said Karl.
One hijacker got into the Mercedes-Benz and drove off, while the other four drove away with the boys.
According to Karl, the hijackers drove around with the boys for about 1½ hours.
"The boys weren't allowed to look up and had to lie with their heads in their laps the whole time."
Parents relieved
The hijackers eventually dropped them off in Langlaagte after telling them there was a police station "within walking distance".
The boys walked to a nearby petrol station where they phoned their parents, said Karl.
"We're relieved that our children were found. The uncertainty was terrible."
Inspector Lorraine van Emmerik confirmed the hijacking.