SAPS
Police, in the small town of Belfast in Mpumalanga, have launched a manhunt for seven suspects who lured paramedics with a fake emergency before holding them hostage.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala says the shocking incident happened on Sunday evening when paramedics received a call about a woman in labour needing assistance on a farm along the Spitzkop road.
He says while responding to the scene they received another call where a suspect offered to meet them at a certain location to direct them to the patient.
Brigadier Mohlala says as they arrived on the scene, two men wearing balaclavas demanded their phones and tied them up with cable ties in the back of the ambulance.
He says then they drove to a second location where five more suspects emerged.
The men started stripping the ambulance and stole the gearbox, engine, two tyres and the battery valued at R300 000.
Brigadier Mohlala says surprisingly, the suspects returned the paramedics' cellphones before fleeing the scene.
They managed to rescue themselves before alerting officials.
