Latest news with #FordRanger
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Church praises police care after pursuit crash
A church secretary has praised a police force for checking in on his "shocked and sad" community almost a month after their building was damaged in a crash. The driver of a Ford Ranger ploughed into the front of St Andrew's United Reform Church in Peterborough on 4 May during a police pursuit. The impact caused damage to the building and destroyed a meeting room, although the church has been able to stay open for worship and community events. Philip Laws said the congregation, many of whom are elderly, was left "shocked and upset" after the incident which he said came with a "significant cost impact" to the church and "some loss of revenue". He said: "It is very sad. They might be used to people driving with speed along this road. "There's a local PCSO who is excellent and does call in to the church. It is generally a lovely community with very little problems." Cambridgeshire Police said the vehicle was pursued after it failed to stop for officers in Lincoln Road and minutes later crashed into the church on Ledbury Road. A 26-year-old man, from Harlton, South Cambridgeshire, was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs, dangerous driving, concerned in supply of a controlled drug, driving without insurance and possession with intent to supply a class B drug. He was treated in hospital and no other injuries were reported, police said. Police said the man had been released on bail until 2 August while investigations continued. Mr Laws said that if the incident had happened during the day, "a lot of people could have been seriously hurt". "The impacted room is used regularly for small meetings. But now it is totally wrecked," he said. "I think the room will be out of bounds for several months. It will cause inconvenience, and we don't yet know if the church building will be able to stay open while the work is ongoing." Mr Laws described the church as "thriving" but said efforts were being made to ensure income was being generated. Mr Laws said: "Our congregation population is ageing. We do struggle in some areas, but we are trying to engage with the community to get a greater participation. We rely on them giving to us as part of their faith. "But, we have faith and will keep going." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Friendship club celebrate first member to turn 100 Cambridgeshire Constabulary
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Peterborough church praises police after pursuit crash
A church secretary has praised a police force for checking in on his "shocked and sad" community almost a month after their building was damaged in a driver of a Ford Ranger ploughed into the front of St Andrew's United Reform Church in Peterborough on 4 May during a police impact caused damage to the building and destroyed a meeting room, although the church has been able to stay open for worship and community events. Philip Laws said the congregation, many of whom are elderly, was left "shocked and upset" after the incident which he said came with a "significant cost impact" to the church and "some loss of revenue". He said: "It is very sad. They might be used to people driving with speed along this road."There's a local PCSO who is excellent and does call in to the church. It is generally a lovely community with very little problems." Cambridgeshire Police said the vehicle was pursued after it failed to stop for officers in Lincoln Road and minutes later crashed into the church on Ledbury Road.A 26-year-old man, from Harlton, South Cambridgeshire, was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs, dangerous driving, concerned in supply of a controlled drug, driving without insurance and possession with intent to supply a class B was treated in hospital and no other injuries were reported, police said the man had been released on bail until 2 August while investigations continued. Mr Laws said that if the incident had happened during the day, "a lot of people could have been seriously hurt"."The impacted room is used regularly for small meetings. But now it is totally wrecked," he said."I think the room will be out of bounds for several months. It will cause inconvenience, and we don't yet know if the church building will be able to stay open while the work is ongoing." Mr Laws described the church as "thriving" but said efforts were being made to ensure income was being Laws said: "Our congregation population is ageing. We do struggle in some areas, but we are trying to engage with the community to get a greater participation. We rely on them giving to us as part of their faith."But, we have faith and will keep going." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Easy-going Ford Ranger XLT the perfect camping companion
Double cab bakkie not only comfortable and safe, but very easy on the juice too. There can be nothing more South African than jumping in a Ford Ranger and going for a weekend of camping at an ATKV holiday resort. And that's exactly what we did when we took our long-term XLT to Buffelspoort recently. Buffelspoort is located around an hour from both Pretoria and Johannesburg on the road out towards Sun City, which meant it was just long enough to appreciate the open road manners of our Ford Ranger double cab. Unfortunately, though, open road driving in this country is a dangerous thing and any and all safety systems are welcome in a vehicle. And even though our long-term Ford Ranger is a mid-spec model, that slots in above the XL and below the Wildtrak, it still comes with a level of active and passive safety features that many of its competitors simply can't match. Ford Ranger safe as a house On board, you have Dynamic Stability Control incorporating ABS, Load Adaptive Control, Roll Over Mitigation, Traction Control and Trailer Sway Control. And if you tick one of the Tech Pack boxes, you can have Pre-Collision Assist, Post-Collision Braking, Blind Spot Information System with Trailer Coverage, Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Keeping System with Road Edge Detection. ALSO READ: Even without a fancy badge, Ford Ranger XLT is a lot of bakkie On the road is also where the Ford Ranger excels with its car-like ride while still retaining its off-road abilities. To achieve this balance, there have been a host of under-the-skin improvements, from increasing the wheelbase by 50mm to moving the rear dampers outboard of the springs. Not that a trip to Buffelspoort required any sort of off-road driving, but it is worth noting that the front approach angle is up from 28.5 degrees to 30 degrees. And the departure angle is up to 23 degrees from 21 degrees. This is with the towbar fitted. The loadbin is large enough to swallow camping gear with ease. Picture: Mark Jones If the road less travelled still calls, the Ford Ranger features an electronic rear differential lock. A differential lock allows both wheels on a specific axle to turn at the same speed, providing additional traction when you're off-roading. This feature might still come in handy, as we chose a 4×2 Ford Ranger XLT instead of a 4×4, knowing most of its life would be spent in the urban jungle. Four driving modes Talking of which, The Citizen Motoring's bakkie comes with four selectable drive modes to help you get traction to the wheels that need it the most and in a way that is best suited for the situation at hand, without you having to be an expert. These modes are Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul and Slippery. They adjust everything from the gearshift to throttle response, traction and stability controls, ABS and more. Tow/Haul mode is a new drive mode that optimises the gear shift timing to maintain power when you're climbing up a hill or deliver the right amount of engine braking when you're travelling down a hill. All of which comes in handy when you know that your Ford Ranger has a braked towing capacity of 3 500kg with a 350kg tow ball download limit. That's a heavy load. The XLT's interior. Picture: Supplied Perhaps the best kept secret of the four Ford Ranger XLT derivatives on offer is that you can have the 154kW/500 Nm 2.0 litre bi-turbo top spec model in 4×2 and 4×4 guise with a 10-speed automatic transmission if you really want the extra urge. Or you can opt for a simpler 4×4, or 4×2, 125kW/405Nm single turbo with easy shifting six-speed auto like we did. Trust me, and I have done the performance testing of our Ranger XLT, when I say that this combo is more than good enough for everyday use. ALSO READ: Ford Ranger's clever onboard systems allow you to tow like a pro Easy on the juice What's even better is the fuel consumption that has settled at 8.9 litres per 100km with a heavy bias towards city-type driving. It went into the high 7s on the trip out to Buffelspoort. It's really hard to fault this bakkie in single turbo guise. The Ford Ranger XLT double cab 4×2 SiT 6AT retails for R681 500. The price includes a four-year/120 000km warranty, with service and maintenance plans available as options.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Hijacking hotspots in Pretoria exposed: Avoid these areas
Hijackings in Pretoria are surging, with Mamelodi East, Akasia, and Sunnyside emerging as the city's most dangerous hotspots. Hijackers are zeroing in on Pretoria, with Mamelodi East, Akasia, and Olievenhoutbosch ranking among the country's most dangerous precincts for carjackings. According to the latest crime statistics released by SAPS for the period January to March 2025, these Tshwane-based stations recorded some of the highest hijacking figures nationwide—Mamelodi East with 65 cases, Akasia with 58, and Olievenhoutbosch with 51. These numbers place all three precincts in the national top 30 for aggravated robberies, highlighting a worrying trend for motorists in the capital. While Gauteng recorded a general decline in carjackings, Tshwane remains a key target area, with criminals favouring high-traffic routes, driveways, and intersections to strike. Here are the hot spots: Mamelodi East – 65 cases Akasia – 58 cases Olievenhoutbosch – 51 cases Sunnyside – High risk zone (frequently listed in trio crime stats) Pretoria West – Noteworthy activity linked to aggravated robberies Mamelodi West – Not in the top 30 but consistently flagged in past stats Temba – Previously listed among high-risk stations for violent crimes. Eersterust and Garsfontein – Not top-ranked but noted for related robbery and theft activity Residents are urged to remain vigilant, especially during the early morning and evening hours, when most of these incidents typically occur. Meanwhile, Paul Visser from the Pretoria ICE Community Network said here are the most targeted vehicles in the country now: VW Polo Toyota Hilux Ford Ranger Toyota Corolla Cross Toyota Fortuner Haval Jolion Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Haval H6 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro These models are often targeted due to their resale value, parts demand, and, increasingly, use in cross-border vehicle smuggling syndicates. Also read: These nine vehicles are NOW targeted by hijackers Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
These nine vehicles are NOW targeted by hijackers
These nine vehicles are NOW targeted by hijackers Hijackers in South Africa are now zeroing in on a new list of high-demand vehicles—with the VW Polo, Toyota Hilux, and Ford Ranger topping the list. According to the latest crime statistics released by SAPS, Pretoria remains one of the country's most targeted regions, with hijacking hotspots identified in Mamelodi, Sunnyside, and Pretoria West. Criminals are becoming bolder and more organised, using follow-home tactics and high-traffic zones to strike. Here's everything you need to know about the most hijacked cars—and where you're most at risk in Tshwane. Paul Visser from the Pretoria ICE Community Network said here are the most targeted vehicles in the country now: VW Polo Toyota Hilux Ford Ranger Toyota Corolla Cross Toyota Fortuner Haval Jolion Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Haval H6 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro These models are often targeted due to their resale value, parts demand, and, increasingly, use in cross-border vehicle smuggling syndicates. While carjackings in South Africa declined by 15.1% year-on-year (from 5,338 in Q4 2024 to 4,533 in Q4 2025), Pretoria remains a high-risk area, particularly in the following precincts: Here are the hotspots in Pretoria: Pretoria West Mamelodi East & Mamelodi West Sunnyside Akasia Temba Hijackings in Pretoria often occur: Near major intersections and traffic light stops. In driveways during arrivals/departures. Around shopping centres and transport hubs. What is the modus operandi? Criminals typically operate in small armed groups, often using follow-home tactics. Electronic jamming and surveillance of daily routines are standard methods used to select victims. Also read: Here are the most dangerous suburbs in Pretoria Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
