Bishop Lavis - Suspected 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield spent the weekend behind bars after cops raided his garage in Bishop Lavis on Friday and found several stolen cars.
According to a source close to the investigation, Stanfield was busted after cops found a brand-new Ford Ranger bakkie, which had been reported stolen, at his petrol station and he was called to the scene.
But when he arrived, cops arrested him and 16 other men for the possession of stolen goods.
Cops also found fancy BMWs and Mercedes-Benz vehicles which had been reported stolen.
“The garage in Bishop Lavis is not a chop shop. It is a garage that has not pumped a litre of petrol for years and all he is doing there is storing cars,” says the source.
“Cops are still determining all the vehicles that are there and what was stolen. None of them have licence plates or discs so they are being traced via the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).
“It’s not cheap cars, it’s like (Mercedes-Benz) AMGs. He was called to the garage because of the stolen Ford en hy was dom genoeg om te kom [he was stupid enough to come]. That is the level of arrogance he has.”
Appear
The source says Stanfield identified himself as the owner and was arrested and officers also found 9mm ammunition on the property.
“He will go up for possession of stolen property. He was locked up and his lawyer was trying to get him out.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, confirms the arrest and says 17 suspects aged between 25 and 53 years old were arrested and will appear in Bishop Lavis Magistrates’ Court today.
Earlier this year, the alleged kingpin and 22 co-accused appeared in the Khayelitsha Priority Crime Court, facing 109 charges which include murder, assault and drug dealing.
In addition, the NPA reinstated previous charges against Stanfield.
In October 2016, Stanfield, his wife Nicole, his sister Francesca, police officer Lieutenant Billy April and police clerks Priscilla Mangayne and Mary-Gail Cartwright were acquitted of a string of charges, including fraud, corruption, possession of unlicensed firearms and contravention of the Firearms Act.
Stanfield and his co-accused had been arrested in 2014 by gang- busting unit, Operation Combat.
Believed
Now, the group and 17 others are facing 109 new charges.
Police intelligence sources say the 17 new suspects in this case are believed to be affiliated with Stanfield, alleged head of a crime syndicate. The new charges include murder, assault, intimidation and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.