Cape Town – Police in Gauteng arrested a man believed to be the mastermind of the theft and hijacking of “high-calibre” vehicles that were smuggled out of the country.
The suspect was arrested in Johannesburg on Thursday.
He was found with suspected stolen vehicles, including a Ford Ranger, Mercedes-Benz C Class and a Toyota Fortuner GD-6.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo, police received information on February 2 about a suspect who was to be at the shopping mall where he operated.
“A team comprising members from the South African Police Service Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit in Soweto, SAPS Crime Intelligence, Gauteng Traffic Police Saturation Unit, Bad Boyz Security, Tracker Connect, Vision Tactical Security, Insurance Crime Burea, and Hollard Insurance were mobilised to intercept the suspect,” said Masondo in a statement.
#sapsGP A man suspected to be a kingpin behind a vehicle crime cross-border syndicate was arrested in Gauteng on 02 February 2023. Multiple vehicle registration documents and passports seized. #TrioCrimes MLhttps://t.co/geUocE58hb pic.twitter.com/hTKe9JsFeE
— SA Police Service ?? (@SAPoliceService) February 3, 2023
He was spotted arriving at the mall, driving a Grey Mercedes-Benz that he parked in the basement and went to a White Ford Ranger and drove off with it, said Masondo.
“The team pounced on the suspect as he was about to exit the mall.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the Ford Ranger was robbed from the owner in Alexandra and that the Mercedes-Benz was hijacked in the Moffatview area,” Masondo said.
Investigations led to the suspect’s place of residence where a white Toyota Fortuner and multiple vehicle registration documents and passports were seized.
Masondo said the suspect was arrested and charged with the possession of suspected stolen/hijacked vehicles.
More suspects were expected to be arrested, pending further investigation, said Masondo.
The suspect was set to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela applauded the team and ordered them to conduct a thorough investigation and profile the suspect as he might be part of a bigger syndicate.
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Picture: Twitter/ @SAPoliceService
Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
