Cape Town - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) are appealing to the public for assistance in tracking and tracing a suspect, who is alleged to be involved in the robbery of a police station.
In a statement released on Tuesday, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said Nqwenelo Thabata, 40, is alleged to have been identified as the driver of the getaway vehicle, after a robbery was perpetrated at the Moyeni Police Station, in December 2020.
She said it is alleged that on July 16, 2020, at 3am, an R5 rifle was found by police officers in a vehicle, which was abandoned by the suspects, after they discovered they were being tailed.
She said further investigation into the matter and the R5 rifle led to officers linking the rifle to one of the items that was stolen, during an armed robbery, at the Moyeni Police Station last year.
“The driver of the vehicle was identified as Thabata. Several efforts to trace him went in vain. His last address was Veeplaas, in Motherwell, Gqeberha.
“The warrant for his arrest was issued by court,” Mgolodela said.
She urged anyone with information regarding Thabata’s whereabouts to contact Warrant Officer Wiseman Mavundla on 082 778 0412 and Sergeant Norton Ndabambi on 082 559 4613.
Mgolodela added that all information received will be treated with the strictest confidence.
In an unrelated incident, two men, aged 29 and 35, were arrested for possession of dagga, in Joe Slovo locality, in Cofimvaba, during police operations.
According to police, 23 sachets of dagga, and a plastic bag containing loose dagga, were confiscated, and had an estimated street value of R800.
Officers also found 106 sachets of dagga, and a plastic bag containing loose dagga, with an estimated street value of R3 000.