Pretoria - Three stolen cars were recovered and two suspects arrested by the Pretoria Flying Squad in Mamelodi on Wednesday.
Police followed information from a vehicle-tracking company on the whereabouts of one of the stolen cars, and arrested two suspects, aged 27 and 32, at a house in Nyabela Street.
The tracking company located a yellow Peugeot 107 which was stolen in Sophiatown on Tuesday, and police found two more cars at the house, a grey Mazda Drifter bakkie stolen in Boschkop, and a grey Kia Picanto which had been stolen in Sunnyside.
The Mazda and the Picanto were both stolen last month, and all three cars were in pristine condition - only the number plates had been replaced with false ones.
The shift commander of the flying squad at the scene said the suspects were believed to be “professional criminals” who steal cars habitually.
“It seems it is their profession. They move around between areas and steal one car at a time,” the commander said, adding they believed the cars were sold after being stolen.
The suspects, who were arrested in front of their family members, allegedly confessed to stealing the cars during housebreakings.
“They said they never forced entry into the cars or tampered with them. They always found the keys in the house first,” the commander said.
Police spokeswoman Captain Pinky Tsinyane said more car keys were found in their possession but could not confirm whether there were more stolen cars hidden somewhere. “The investigating officers will take it further,” she said.
Tsinyane said they also found illegal firearms, ammunition, large knives, equipment used for housebreakings and a beanie with a police logo on it.
“People often claim they are robbed by people in police uniform,” the commander said, adding it was yet to be established whether this was the suspects’ modus operandi.
They face charges of possession of stolen vehicles, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and housebreaking equipment.
They will be detained at the Mamelodi East police station until they appear in Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court.
The cars were taken to the police pound, and the owners will be notified about the find.
Pretoria News