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Recovering our
most precious cargo

Despite being a ‘special report’ on fleet management and tracking systems for the transport industry, one can’t help appreciating the value of these systems in matters of the heart, especially those involving children. Hijackers do not discriminate when it comes to their victims and in this instance, the vehicle they stole was carrying an infant. Tracker's Communications Manager, Gareth Crocker tells the story.

On October 4th 2005, a Centurion resident (who cannot be named for security reasons) was about to drive out of her property with her twenty-month old child shortly before 09h00 when she popped back inside her house to fetch something. As she returned, a family employee screamed to her that her car was being stolen.

She immediately notified Tracker and the vehicle was tracked to Tembisa. The South African Police Service's North Rand Highway Patrol and the Pretoria Air Wing quickly tracked down the car. As the Highway Patrol officers arrived on the scene, the two suspects were walking away from the vehicle. Seeing the police, the one suspect gave himself up while the other tried to run away. He was quickly chased and apprehended by police.

After inspecting the vehicle there was no sign of the child. Fortunately though, Tracker received word a few minutes later that the boy had been found unharmed. The suspects allegedly dumped the child near the parking lot of the Olifantsfontein Shopping Centre whereupon a member of the public took the child to the nearby Olifantsfontein Police Station. The whole ordeal was over within an hour.

We would like to pay tribute to the SAPS for their swift and decisive action. From Tracker's perspective, this was the best possible outcome. Two stolen vehicles were recovered, two arrests were made and, most importantly, a child was returned unharmed to his parents.