Johannesburg - The tracking feature, “Find My iPad”, has helped the police to arrest several suspects allegedly linked to the hijacking of luxury vehicles in the Joburg area.
The people were arrested after a house was robbed in Sandton on Saturday night. An Audi Quattro 5, a cellphone, an iPad and jewellery were among the items the gang made off with.
The owner of the property had turned on the Find My iPad feature, which tracked down their location. The man immediately relayed the information to the police.
Police spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Katlego Mogale said the man was in the house during the robbery but she couldn’t say how the gang had managed to gain entry to the property.
They were traced to Libya Street in Klipfontein Extension 3 (in Midrand), according to the iPad’s location feedback.
Mogale said: “The police members went to a nearby tavern where they searched everyone. They (received) further information to check a house on the opposite side of the street.”
When the police moved closer to the house next to the tavern, she said, they stopped a white Hyundai Getz which was reversing along the driveway.
When the police searched the three men in the car, they found a box full of jewellery.
“They took both suspects into the house and found two other suspects inside sharing the laptops on a table and a sofa,” said Mogale. The police also found a bundle of car keys, unlicensed firearms, ammunition, jewellery and some of the electronic items stolen in the house robbery.
Several hijacked cars were also found on the property, among them a BMW hijacked in Sandton two months ago and a Jetta 4.
Mogale said the keys to the Audi Q5 that was stolen in Sandton was found in the one of the suspect’s pockets.
“He pointed out where they had abandoned the vehicle in Ebony Park. Three unlicensed firearms as well as ammunition were recovered,” she said.
The police were investigating cases of armed robbery, possession of suspected hijacked and stolen vehicles, possession of suspected stolen property and possession of an unlicensed firearm, among others.
The Star