• The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department caught five men pretending to be officers with fake SAPS uniforms, a taser and other police gear.

• The suspects, aged 28 to 34, were arrested in Daveyton after a motorist escaped their hijacking attempt and alerted real officers.

Five men pretending to be police officers were arrested in Daveyton after a failed hijacking attempt on the N12 highway on Tuesday afternoon.

The suspects, aged between 28 and 34, were caught by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) with South African Police Service uniforms, a taser, a screwdriver and a firearm licence that did not belong to them.

The drama started when a 36-year-old man reported that he was nearly hijacked by men posing as police officers.

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He said he had stopped to drop off a woman he had given a lift to when a white VW Golf blocked his car. A man wearing a police reflective jacket and jeans got out, but the driver grew suspicious and drove away.

The Golf chased him and tried to block him again, but he managed to escape and later spotted the same car being stopped by EMPD officers.

Officers on patrol had noticed the white Golf driving recklessly and pulled it over, thinking it was a road rage incident. The driver who had escaped the hijacking recognised the car and told officers what had happened.

A search of the vehicle revealed the fake police uniforms, arm belts, a taser and a CPF reflective jacket. None of the five men were real police officers.

They were arrested and detained at Daveyton Police Station. They are expected to appear in court soon.

EMPD spokesperson Zweli Dlamini praised the quick work of the officers, saying their actions may have prevented another serious crime.