PARKTOWN – The relentless efforts by the SAPS in Gauteng geared at disrupting the market for stolen and/or hijacked vehicles, have this time around resulted in the recovery of 11 stolen vehicles after operations conducted in Pretoria North, Montana, and Sinoville in Tshwane District.
A joint intelligence-led operation saw a multi-disciplinary team on Tuesday, 08 December 2020 pounce on three addresses in different areas of Pretoria, where police operationalised information about a suspected recipient of stolen vehicles.
At the first address in Pretoria North, a makeshift park-and-sell facility, the team after a search on the premises, found and seized a Nissan NP200 reported stolen at Lyttleton SAPS in October this year. Also seized were a BMW 5-series reported stolen at Soshanguve last month (November 2020), and a Toyota Fortuner with a tampered vehicle identification number (VIN).
Four more vehicles were seized from the second address, the alleged receiver’s home in Montana. A Renault Sandero, an Audi A4, a VW Polo, and a Toyota Etios sought as per cases reported at Sunnyside (December 2020), Temba (December 2020), Mamelodi (July 2017), and Brooklyn (November 2020) respectively.
At the third premises, another makeshift park-and-sell facility on Sefako Makgatho Drive in Sinoville, the team after searching the place seized four more sought vehicles, bringing the total to 11. A Nissan NP200 sought as per case reported at Rietgat SAPS earlier this month, a Hyundai H11 sought as per case reported at Krugersdorp in July 2020, a Renault Kwid reported stolen at Soshanguve in October 2020, and a Hyundai H100 with tampered vehicle identification.
The alleged receiver, a Pakistani national, and his employer, a 47-year old Zimbabwean national were arrested and will appear before the Pretoria North Magistrate Court on Thursday, 10 December 2020 on charges of possession of stolen and or hijacked motor vehicles; while investigations are underway to determine the legality of their presence in the country.
Gauteng Commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the value-adding collaboration by the SAPS (Pretoria West Vehicle Crime Unit, Pretoria K9, Sinoville Detectives), the DPCI (Hawks TOMS), Gauteng Traffic Police (Saturation Unit) and private sector stakeholders (DataDot, Tracker Connect, and the Insurance Crime Bureau).
“Our biggest successes this past year, in response to our concerted efforts to reduce the high volumes of hijackings in the province, have emanated from our strengthened partnership with other law enforcement agencies and private stakeholders. We will therefore continue on this trajectory in our strife to disrupt the market for stolen and hijacked vehicles that often come at the expense of the lives of innocent victims,” remarked Lieutenant General Mawela in appreciation of the successful operation.
This festive season, potential second-hand car buyers are cautioned to avoid what would seem to be unusually cheap prices from some dealerships, and rather shop or buy from established, reputable dealerships lest they find themselves getting arrested for possession of stolen or hijacked vehicles.
Such intelligence-led operations will continue alongside the safer festive season operations as police work hard to tighten the grip on crime.
Efforts by the SAPS in Gauteng to disrupt the market for stolen and hijacked vehicles yield success as Police recover 11 vehicles in Tshwane https://t.co/t6KUAAqAgB#ArriveAlive #StolenVehicles #Hijacking @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/dQ1KveTWZt
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) December 9, 2020