A hijacking in Cape Town took a dramatic turn when suspects nearly drove off with an eight-month-old passenger. 

According to police spokesperson Captain F.C. Van Wyk, the complainant was seated inside his black Mercedes-Benz on Sydney Street near the Good Hope Centre on Tuesday night. There were four other occupants in the vehicle with him, which included three adults and a baby.  

At about 19:45, three men armed with firearms approached the vehicle. 

“[They] pointed it at the occupants instructing them to hand over their property and to exit the vehicle,” said Van Wyk.  

The group complied, and all but one passenger stepped out of the car. The baby was still in the vehicle, sitting in a baby car seat. 

The suspects climbed into the car and were preparing to flee when one of the previous occupants confronted them. 

“The father of the baby confronted the suspects and asked them to give his child to him.” 

The suspects removed the infant from the vehicle and placed the child, still secured in the car seat, on the pavement before driving off in an unknown direction. 

Van Wyk said a tracking company was immediately contacted, and the vehicle was located on Albion Close in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. Metro Police were on the scene less than an hour after the initial incident, at around 20:30. 

“The vehicle was parked and there was one suspect inside the vehicle,” said Van Wyk.  

A 41-year-old man was arrested and is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court once formally charged.  

A case of carjacking is being investigated by Cape Town Central police. 

Van Wyk further confirmed that no firearms were found in the vehicle and that the vehicle has since been booked in as an exhibit.  

ALSO READ: Police hunt gunmen at surprise party robbery in Browns Farm – Smile 90.4FM