Dummy in road baffles Durban drivers

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Durban - A new ruse by hijackers or a harmless prank? That is the question security guards and motorists are puzzling over after finding a headless “dummy”, dressed as a woman, on a roadside north of Durban. The dummy was found after guards from Viva Security Solutions (VSS) responded to social media reports of a body lying on the R102, near the Umhlali Bridge, on Wednesday. Nico Viljoen, director of the security company, said several people had posted warnings on WhatsApp groups and Facebook. Viljoen said their Facebook page and WhatsApp group had also been inundated with messages from motorists.

“We found the dummy strategically placed near a pavement with the head portion not visible, making motorists more curious.

“On inspection the body was, in fact, not real - but clothing and bags rolled up to look like one. We have not heard of hijackings in that specific spot,” Viljoen said.

The dummy was dressed in a pink skirt, vest and sports bra, with clothing stuffed inside the legs.

It wore a pair of ladies stockings, and cloth and pieces of material had been stuffed into hair nets to form the hands.

String had been attached to the dummy around the shoulders, presumably to drag it. There was no head nor neck.

“People are curious. They want to stop and have a closer look. It could be anything. A scarecrow or could be kids stuffing around. Worst case, it could be hijack attempt,” he said.

Ismail Mitha, of Paramedics Emergency Control SA, warned that placing such dummies on the roadside would make motorists more reluctant to stop to help people genuinely in distress.

Viljoen said they had disposed of the dummy to avoid it falling into the wrong hands.

He said a similar situation had occurred in Pretoria, where a dummy was wrapped in black bin bags to form the shape of a human.

Police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane, advised motorists not to stop in isolated areas.

“Sometimes, criminals lie on the road pretending to be dead, and once the motorists stop to assist, the criminals will come and attack them. Report anything suspicious to the police line 10111,” he said.

There have been numerous posts on social media regarding robbery, burglary and hijacking trends by criminals.

Some that continue to do the rounds on social media include claims that criminals mark houses with tin clips and bottle caps, to burgle later.

The throwing of eggs at windscreens and the placing of planks spiked with nails on the road are other ruses attributed to criminals, on social media.

Crime experts, however, in the past have dismissed most as rumours, and pointed to a lack of evidence.

At first glance motorists believed this was a body lying on the roadside on the R102 near Umhlali Bridge. It turned out to be a headless dummy stuffed with clothing material.

Daily News