PARKTOWN – Police received information about a warehouse in Johannesburg that is used as a storage for parts of hijacked vehicles.

The information was operationalised and a team from Gauteng Highway Patrol, SAPS Crime Intelligence, Hawks, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department K9 and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Specialized Task Team proceeded to the identified warehouse in Booysens, Johannesburg on Tuesday 07 September 2021.

Inside the warehouse, police found several parts of vehicles including 10 engines that have been linked to high performance vehicles that were reportedly hijacked around Gauteng. The police have also seized goods worth millions of rands that are suspected to have been stolen from hijacked trucks.

Two suspects have been apprehended, a 28-year-old man reported to be the owner of the warehouse will be charged with possession of parts from suspected hijacked vehicles and possession of stolen property. The second suspect, aged 23, was arrested after he came to the crime scene and offered the police a bribe, he is facing a charge of bribery.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the collaboration between police, EMPD and JMPD that has led to this discovery. “This discovery and subsequent arrests will definitely break the back of a syndicate dealing with parts from hijacked vehicles,” said Lt Gen Mawela.

“I have instructed the investigating team to ensure that they trace and arrest the perpetrators responsible for high performance vehicle hijackings as well as truck hijackings. We have their loot and now we must bring them to book,” concluded Lt Gen Mawela.

Source: South African Police Service