Pretoria – The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) has arrested a 37-year-old woman after she was allegedly found in possession of a Toyota Etios suspected to be stolen.
EMPD spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, said the woman was arrested on Thursday and was set to appear before at the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court.
“On Thursday 30 March 2023 at 12h30, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department’s Northern Region Task Team, intercepted a 37-year-old female found on the premises, for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
“Acting on the provided information about a suspected stolen motor vehicle, parked inside the yard in a residential area on Cuba street, at Umthambeka section, officers responded.
“Upon arrival, a suspicious white Toyota Etios sedan, was tested and the revelation was that the VIN/chassis number didn’t correspond, with the registration/number plate,” said Thepa.
She said the woman was charged and detained at the Tembisa police station and is expected to appear in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court “soon”.
The recovered vehicle was towed to the SAPS Van Rhyn Deep yard in Benoni, for safekeeping.
Earlier this month, police in Ekurhuleni recovered a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, parked at a woman’s yard, after it was hijacked from its owner in Delmas.
At the time, EMPD spokesperson Lerato Monyane said the owner of the house where the popular SUV was parked said a man had brought it and parked it. The man who allegedly brought the vehicle couldn’t be reached on the phone, according to police.
“On Monday, 6 March, at 9:30, members of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department’s Tsakane precinct officers, in conjunction with the South African Police Service tracing unit, recovered a hijacked vehicle at Tsakane,” said Monyane.
“The EMPD officers received information regarding a hijacked vehicle that was spotted driving around the Tsakane area. Following up on the information, officers were led to a residence on Mosaka Street in Tsakane, where the hijacked white Toyota Land Cruiser SUV was found.
“The SUV was allegedly hijacked from the owner at Delmas on Sunday, 5 March 2023, and a case docket was opened at Benoni police station. The owner of the house alleges that the known suspect parked the vehicle and left,” she said.
Monyane said attempts to reach the suspect weren’t successful as he “had switched off his phone”.
“The vehicle was taken to Benoni, Van Rhyn Deep, for safekeeping. Investigations are ongoing, and arrests are imminent,” she said.
A search on the website cars.co.za shows that the cost of a Toyota Land Cruiser 300 off-roader ranges from around R1. 4million to almost R2m.
IOL