Hijacker's body found in tree
2008-07-09 23:03
Johannesburg - A wounded hijacker, who hid in a tree in Kempton Park, was found dead there on Wednesday morning.
One of his accomplices shot himself dead after he had encountered some security guards and another suspected accomplice was arrested. A fourth suspect sped off in a get-away car.
The men apparently tried to hijack 26-year-old Madelein's car about 20:00 on Tuesday.
She and her cousin, Chantel, 28, were at the house of Chantel's boyfriend, Neels.
Their surnames are being withheld to protect their identities.
The two women were fired at in the driveway of Neels's house, when they stopped to open the gate.
Neels had had a premonition that something would go wrong. He had been hijacked in his driveway before.
He said: "I was waiting in the dining room with my pistol in my hand for Chantel and Madelein to arrive at the house.
Fired a warning shot
"When I heard the first shot, I ran outside and saw them firing another shot at the women. They were shooting to kill.
"I fired a warning shot and they started shooting at me."
The driver of the Toyota Venture, in which some of the suspects presumably would have fled, left his three accomplices behind and a shoot-out ensued between them and Neels.
The man who was found in a tree in Buitendag Street presumably had been shot in the back by Neels. He died of his wound in the tree and his body was found on Wednesday morning by a member of the public.
Police spokesperson Jethro Mtshali said Neels and the hijackers fired several shots at each other.
"The three suspects then fled on foot. One encountered some security guards and shot himself in the head. He died where he was shot.
"Another suspect was arrested by the guards."