The same gang may have struck three times in one day, carrying out two hijackings and a house robbery all involving foreign victims, Johannesburg police said on Wednesday.
Constable Sefako Xaba said a Lesotho man was missing after the hijacking, which happened on Tuesday at Linden in Johannesburg.
Xaba said the same gang also robbed a Chinese man of his Jeep and R20 000 in Douglasdale about 25 minutes later.
Beeld newspaper reported that prior to the hijackings, the four men assaulted and robbed three foreign tourists of their possessions at a guesthouse in Bryanston on Tuesday afternoon.
Xaba said police believe the same men are involved in all three cases because witness gave the same description of them.
Two of the tourists, who arrived in South Africa a week ago to have plastic surgery, were seriously assaulted after being overpowered by the robbers, Beeld reported.
A spokesperson for Netcare 911, Nick Dollman, said the three women, aged 52, 53 and 56, were approached by the robbers in the driveway of the guesthouse.
”They had apparently just been shopping at a shopping centre in Sandton and returned to the guesthouse by taxi,” said Dollman.
”When they arrived at the guesthouse, the armed robbers stopped them in the driveway about 10m from the house.”
Dollman said two of the women were badly assaulted.
”Other guests and neighbours came running when they heard a shot, after which the robbers jumped into a car and escaped.”
Beeld reported that some of the steel staples and stitches in the women’s faces and necks — from their plastic surgery — were ripped out when they were kicked and beaten.
”They apparently pleaded with the attackers not to hurt them and immediately handed over their belongings, but they were still assaulted,” said Dollman.
He said although the women were treated for minor injuries, there was a lot of blood and they were shocked by the violence of the attack.
”The men eventually fled with jewellery, cellphones and cash,” Xaba said.
No arrests have been made. — Sapa