NELSPRUIT – The Police in Mpumalanga, in partnership with other stakeholders are working hard to deal with the influx of suspected stolen vehicles within the province and suspected to be destined to the province or pass through the province. Great achievements to that effect were made recently. The arrest of a 35-year-old man in Carolina and 43-year-old man in Hendrina respectively, for possession of suspected stolen vehicles and recovery of another in Carolina, proves that police are hands on in addressing the situation.

In Carolina, on Tuesday, 13 September 2022 the Police were informed by a Tracking Company about certain vehicles which were en route to Carolina. The members from Visible Policing in conjunction with Tracking Company and security officials from Vossies Security followed on the information and intercepted one white Toyota Hilux bakkie which was reported stolen at Beinsvlei in Gauteng Province on 06 September 2022. The driver was arrested for possession of suspected stolen vehicle.

Two vehicles which were reported stolen from Brits in the North West province on separate occasions were also recovered. The first vehicle to be recovered is a bronze Toyota Hilux bakkie which was abandoned without suspect(s) at Kotze Street in Carolina. The law enforcement agencies also discovered that the vehicle was reported stolen at Brits on 05 September 2022.

The second vehicle stolen from Brits, a white Toyota bakkie was recovered on the same day (13 September 2022) at Hendrina whereby a male suspect was arrested by the police at Hendrina for possession of suspected stolen vehicle. The bakkie is said to have been reportedly stolen this month (September 2022).

The arrested suspects are expected to appear in court today, 14 September 2022, one at the Carolina Magistrate’s Court whilst the other at Hendrina Magistrate’s Court 2022 facing the said charges.  Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues. Police are working tirelessly to determine if the suspects could not have been somehow involved in other criminal activities with regard to hijackings or theft of motor vehicles elsewhere.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has once again applauded the spirit of teamwork displayed by the joint venture between the police and the private sector. “These successes are just an indication of our commitment to the core businesses of safeguarding our citizens as well as their properties. We are indeed appreciative of the indelible mark by law enforcement agencies in tackling theft of motor vehicles which has been on the headlines where at times, the province is at the receiving end from other provinces like in these three cases. We will never allow our province to be used as a hiding place/den to harbour suspected stolen vehicles or any property by criminal syndicates” said the General.

Source: South African Police Service