A South African victim of robbery and kidnapping was last night rescued after his girlfriend tweeted for help. The man from Johannesburg was hijacked and put in the boot of hiss car while the robbers looked for where to dump him and get away with the car.
The robbers forgot to take away his phone which he used to send his girlfriend, Lynn Peters, an SMS. Lynn then tweeted
Be on the look for DSS041GP my boyufriend has just been hijacked and is in the boot please RT
— Lynn Peters (@onebadvillynn) April 7, 2012
7 of her friends retweeted the tweet including her friend Tanisha Reddy who alerted famous South African tweep, @Pigspotter, to retweet the message to his more than 100,000 followers composed also of a good number of private security companies.
South African tweeps started to relay the message to security companies including the police. Private security and vehicle tracking company, Afritrack, asked “Does that vehicle have a tracking device?” to which Tanisha Reddy answered “No it doesn’t. How else can we track him?”
Emergency service and rescue provider Riga Rescue offered, “I have contacts in the area give me cell number we trace him fast quick boet let’s hurry.”
Companies mobilised their units and circulated the cars particulars. K9 Law Enforcement which is a security company spotted the car and offered details. After about two hoursof panic and no updates, Tanisha tweeted:
Just received a call, the police have found him his in Ventersberg! He is okay just shaken up thank you to everyone for all the help!!
— Tanisha Reddy(@Tanisha_Reddy) April 7, 2012
The robbers/hijackers had driven straight into a police road block. They then dumped the vehicle and ran away. The victim was found unharmed, shaken but fine.
Thabong police spokeswoman sergeant Tlalanyane Pakela said no arrests had been made so far.
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