Cape Town’s special investigations unit has caught its first top 10 offender.
During a sting operation on Thursday, officers arrested a taxi driver who owed more than R37 000 in outstanding fines and warrants.
City traffic officers and the special investigations unit started Operation Payback on Wednesday night.
The SIU is tracking the top 10 offenders, who owe more than R1.2 million to the city. This equals more than 1300 warrants of arrest.
The 36-year old taxi driver has already spent four years in jail for a range of offences, including traffic violations.
On Wednesday night, the man was not found at his most recent address in Sea Point. However, a few hours later members of the SIU managed to trace him.
JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security, said this arrest marked the start of nabbing all the top 10 offenders. In many cases offenders had numerous addresses, and in some instances officers would be using cellphone numbers to trace offenders.
Another top 10 offender is already awaiting trial in Pollsmoor prison for armed robbery.
The man, a taxi driver from Athlone, owes more than R40 000.
Over the next few weeks the unit will be working towards arresting the remaining eight. – Cape Argus