An image of a South African Police Service (SAPS) vehicle with two different number plates is doing the rounds on social media.
The picture shows one of the number plates of the vehicle falling off, with what is believed to be the real number plate underneath.
I rest my case..... pic.twitter.com/M6IjaJeFPC
— PATRICIA MASHALE (@PATRICIAMASHAL3) August 15, 2023
South Africans on social media were all over it. While some believe it may be corrupt police officers using the vehicle to commit crimes with a fake number plate, others said that it could be a cloned vehicle that can be used by criminals to commit crimes so that people think it is the police.
People also pointed out the "bad detailing" on the car and the lights not looking like the ones that are usually on police vehicles.
The original poster of the picture @PATRICIAMASHAL3, asked: “What is worse? The cops with probably a false number plate or the criminals with a cloned car?” Many answered they are equally bad because both are crimes.
In 2019, there were several cases of criminal syndicates impersonating police officers and outfitting vehicles in police livery in order to lure unsuspecting victims.
Earlier this year, Gauteng police found a cloned SAPS vehicle that they believe was used for truck hijackings.
According to preliminary investigations, the vehicle was stolen in Bedfordview in December, and it is believed that the vehicle was being used to commit truck hijackings.
IOL