Durban - An off-duty Durban Metro policeman's knack for spotting crime led to the arrest of five men allegedly involved in stealing goods from stationary trucks in Durban.
Syndicates have been cleaning out cargo from trucks and the recent CCTV footage capturing the crime taking place in Umgeni Road has spurred police to take action.
Five men are due to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
On Tuesday morning, shortly before 6 am, Inspector Heath Morrison of the Durban Metro police K9 Unit was travelling south along Bluff Road, situated within the Brighton Beach Policing precinct when he noticed a white VW Transporter with no number plates parked alongside a blue truck trailer.
The tarpaulin had been removed from the truck which exposed white nylon bags containing industrial flour. The policeman noticed individuals on top of the trailer, passing these white nylon bags to individuals who were placing them into their stationary VW Transporter vehicle from the inside door.
"Morrison kept watch and called for back up," said KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele.
"Upon concluding the transfer of the bags of industrial flour into the VW Transporter the group of five men proceeded along Bluff Road in a westerly direction along Bluff Road. Morrison followed the vehicle with five occupants as they proceeded towards the M4 freeway. As the VW Transporter turned left onto the M4 freeway, the vehicle came to a halt. One of the occupants alighted from the vehicle and placed number plates into the front and rear number plate brackets," Mbele said.
The bags of flour that was stolen off the back of a truck in Durban. Picture: Brighton Beach SAPS.
The vehicle then proceeded along the M4 freeway with the officer following closely. Mbele said the vehicle was blocked in near the former Clairwood race course by Metro K9 Unit members and Umlazi SAPS K9 Unit members, who had responded to Inspect Heath Morrison’s call for assistance.
Mbele said the 34 bags of industrial flour was positively identified by the owner and returned.
Mbele said there had been several incidents of theft from trucks within the Brighton Beach Policing precinct over the past few months. The modus operandi of this group indicates that this arrest will lead to linkages of other incidents in the area.
Mbele said the suspects are aged from 34 to 55 years old. They have been charged with theft out of a motor vehicle.
Brighton Beach police management acknowledged the team for their roles in securing the arrest of the five men and recovery of the stolen goods.