Police close in on vehicle crime with the latest recovery of vehicle parts linked to nine cases of vehicle theft or hijacking

PARKTOWN – Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the latest successes by the provincial vehicle-crime investigating unit following the latest recovery of vehicle parts that have since been linked to at least nine (9) cases of either hijacked or stolen vehicles reported at different police stations in the Province.

In a joint operation that ran parallel with Operation O Kae Molao in Tsakane, the team on Thursday, 17 October 2019 together with Ekurhuleni Metro Police and Tracker followed a stolen vehicle from Soweto to Commissioner Street in Jeppestown, Johannesburg.

Police immediately confirmed after inspection that they were facing a chop shop and as soon as the alleged owner, a foreign national realised that police were onto him, he escaped. Police are still searching for the man.

Through another key partner in the fight against vehicle crime, Data Dot, the team were able to establish the following: two VW Polo headlights positively linked to a Randburg case opened this month; a Toyota Etios gearbox linked to a Brixton case opened in June this year; a VW gearbox casing linked to a Florida case also opened in June this year; and VW Polo parts with engine and gearbox linked to a Honeydew case of this month.

Further investigation conducted the following day on Friday, 19 October 2019 saw more parts recovered including: a Nissan headlight and brake booster linked to a Parkview case of August 2019; a Toyota brake booster linked to a Jeppe case of June this year; a Toyota Etios brake booster linked to Brixton case of March this year; a Toyota Etios rear bumper linked to a Johannesburg Central case opened in October 2018; and two VW Polo front headlights linked to a Randfontein case of September 2019.

Operations of this nature will continue as police in Gauteng intensify efforts to reduce the volumes of serious and violent crime through curbing the theft of motor vehicles and especially hijackings that are often violent in nature.

Members of the public are urged to assist the police by reporting on suspicious chop shops, where prices are often ridiculously lower than market prices. Buying at such places only creates the space for hijacking and places the lives of innocent people at risk.

Source: South African Police Service

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