The Germiston SAPS confiscated a huge haul of allegedly stolen liquor, last Saturday.
At about 11.30am, Consts Nhlahla Mthetwa, Emanuel Maake, Dumisane Mdabula, Lindelani Mthembu, Sandile Mbatha and Tebogo Choung were patrolling in and around Germiston Sector One, when they received information from a community member that a truck was busy offloading liquor at a pub in Knox Street, in the Germiston CBD.
The members followed up on the information and saw the truck parked in Knox Street in front on the Caribbean Sports Bar and Restaurant .
As they got closer to the vehicle they saw men running away from it.
The officers managed to catch the driver, but the rest of the crew escaped.
They had been busy offloading liquor and taking it into the pub.
The SAPS members spoke to the owner of the sports bar and he showed them the storeroom where the liquor was packed.
The driver could not produce a delivery invoice or any proof of documentation to say he was allowed to deliver the goods to the sports bar.
The police members then arrested the owner of the pub and the driver of the truck.
Other police members went to the warehouse where the liquor was stored, in Elandsfontein, and contacted the manager to come to the scene and identify the goods.
A representative of the company came to the police station and identified all the stolen goods as their property.
The liquor that was recovered has an estimated value of about R500 000 and it was handed back to the owner with a SAP 299.
The driver of the truck has been charged with possession of stolen property and the owner of the sports bar has been charged with receiving stolen property.
Both men were detained at the Germiston Police Station.
“The Germiston SAPS thanks community members who come forward and give us information on any criminal activities in the city.
“Together we can make a difference in the fight against crime, and we can make Germiston a safer place for all,” said WO André de Jager, spokesman for the Germiston SAPS.
