Five arrested after robbery story doesn’t add up
EMPD officers smelled a rat and questioned the men about the authenticity of their allegations.
EMPD Overload Unit officers arrested five men between the ages of 37 and 48 years old in Brakpan last Friday morning for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles.
According to EMPD spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, officers were conducting law enforcement duties when they were approached by the occupants of a white Toyota Yaris and a grey Toyota Tazz that alleged the driver of a truck that just passed the officers, had robbed a female victim of her belongings.
“The officers chased the truck and when the truck came to a halt, the officers checked for the alleged stolen items which was a phone and a handbag, and nothing was initially found,” she said.
The 42-year-old male driver of the truck explained that the two vehicles (Yaris and Tazz) had been following him since he dropped off his colleague in Heidelberg.
“The truck driver alleges that one of the occupants in these vehicles came to him as his colleague was climbing out and said he was asking for a lift to go to Sandton,” said Thepa.
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“The truck driver refused yet the male tried to forcefully climb in the truck, however, the truck driver immediately drove off and they started to follow him.
“He further elaborated that there is no lady that was robbed by him.”
The officers started to question the five male occupants about the authenticity of their allegations.
“When officers inspected the vehicles, they found that the Toyota Yaris was fitted with false number plates and was reported stolen,” said Thepa.
“The Tazz had three separate vehicle identification numbers. Officers managed to find the owner who claimed that the vehicle was forfeited to the state and he was no longer the owner of the vehicle.”
The men were immediately arrested and detained at the Brakpan Police Station.
