The North West provincial vehicle theft task team dubbed “Operation Twins” has so far made significant achievements by recovering fifteen (15) cloned cars since Monday, 2 June 2014 to date.
It is alleged that vehicles were reported stolen in Gauteng Province. Out of these cars, seven were seized in Mahikeng, four in Klerksdorp and another four in Rustenburg. Two other vehicles were impounded for physical inspection.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that the suspect’s modus operandi include identifying a salvaged car that will be bought from an agent of an insurance company. According to the information available at this stage, a similar vehicle will be stolen, and then the engine as well as VIN numbers of the salvaged vehicle will be transferred to the stolen vehicle. It is alleged that the cars will be taken for roadworthy, license renewal, thus lawfully registering them and ultimately sold to either a dealer or an individual. Thus far, indications are that most of the vehicles were sold in Gauteng.
The community is sensitised to be more careful when they buy the second hand vehicles, if possible they may avail the vehicle for inspection to the police before any transaction is made. At this stage, two arrests have been made and investigation into the matter continues.
Meanwhile, members of stock theft recovered nineteen (19) stolen cattle at one of the farms around Klerkskraal on Wednesday, 16 July 2014. The recovery followed a tip-off received that there were suspected stolen cattle in the vicinity of Klerkskraal.
Subsequently, the police managed to spot the alleged truck loaded with 8 cattle. The driver (33) was allegedly questioned and eventually arrested and taken back to the farm where another 11 cattle suspected to be stolen were found. It was during further investigation that farmers who lost cattle around Leeudoringstad and Makwassie were called to the scene and they identified all nineteen (19) cattle linked to five cases of stock theft in Makwassie, Leeudoringsstad and Klerkskraal. That led to arrest of the second suspect who is a farm owner, aged 42 for possession of suspected stolen stock worth two hundred and ninety thousand rand (R290 000.00).
Both accused appeared in Ventersdorp Magistrates ‘Court yesterday and were remanded in custody until Friday, 25 July for formal bail application.
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