Members of the EMPD Specialised Task Team have in separate incidents arrested three men found in possession of stolen vehicles, an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in a recent anti-crime operation.
In the first incident on March 7 in Reiger Park, EMPD officers busted two men after they were spotted driving a Toyota Tazz which was reportedly hijacked in Duduza.
“The eye-hawked members pulled over the suspicious-looking blue Toyota Tazz with five occupants, including the driver, in Archie Jonas Street.
“Immediately after the car stopped, three of its occupants ran away, and officers arrested the remaining two after discovering the vehicle was reportedly hijacked,” said EMPD spokesperson Kobeli Mokheseng.
The pair, which hails from KwaZulu-Natal, are facing charges of possession of a robbed/hijacked motor vehicle, and were detained at the Reiger Park Police Station.
Elsewhere, EMPD officers arrested a 21-year-old man they found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and suspected stolen car.
It was on March 2 when patrolling officers spotted the suspicious-looking VW Golf driving around Ivory Park, Thembisa.
“Upon further investigation, officers noticed the licence disc didn’t correspond with the registration number plates, and the chassis number/VIN were tampered with. As the suspect was being frisked, a 38 special Smith and Wesson pistol, with three live rounds and its serial numbers filed off, was uncovered.
“After failure to produce any proof of registration and licensing of the car, licence to carry a firearm and to drive, the driver was taken to Ivory Park Police Station, where charges of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition were registered against him,” explained Mokheseng.
The arrested trio are expected to appear in their respective courts soon.
The recovered firearm was taken in for ballistic tests and both recovered vehicles were impounded at Van Ryn Deep (police yard) in Benoni area for safekeeping.
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