LOOK: Durban police dragnet seizes cars, cash and suspects

Published Oct 22, 2019

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Durban - THE POLICE arrested five men, recovered four vehicles, seized car-breaking implements and confiscated R50100 in cash, logbooks, cellphones and two passports in an operation on Sunday afternoon.

It was conducted in Pinetown by Chatsworth SAPS, metro police and officials from Tracker after a vehicle was stolen in eManzimtoti.

Provincial spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said investigations led the police to Trafalgar Place in Pinetown, where the stolen vehicle was recovered and five suspects between the ages of 25 and 36 were arrested.

“During a further search of the premises, three additional stolen vehicles were discovered. Preliminary investigations revealed that two of the vehicles that were seized had been hijacked at Pinetown, while the third vehicle was seized for further investigation,” Naicker said.

“Police seized a number of bags containing car-breaking implements from the arrested suspects. Two passports and R50100 in cash was also confiscated.”

Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said the men were linked to a syndicate wanted for taking vehicles across the border.

Sewpersad said the vehicle police were tracking was a grey Ford Ranger and the other recovered vehicles were a red VW Polo hatchback, a blue VW Polo and a silver Mercedes Benz.

The recovered vehicles were listed in the top 10 most hijacked motor vehicles in South Africa, according to the 2018/2019 crime statistics.

VW was second (2877), Ford was fourth (1090) and Mercedes Benz (775) was seventh.

Naicker said the men faced charges of being in possession of suspected stolen property and car-breaking implements. They will also be profiled to establish their links to hijacking and the theft of motor vehicle cases in the province.

The men are expected to appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Daily News

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