MODERN technology lead to the arrest of five suspects when stolen goods were tracked to a toll gate on its way to Mozambique.
After the driver transporting the stolen goods was apprehended at a toll gate in Malelane, Mpumalanga, he gave away the actual thieves who were traced to Tembisa.
According to Capt Lesibana Molokomme, spokesman for Norkem Park SAPS, five suspects were arrested at 4.30am on April 22 for housebreaking, theft and possession of suspected stolen goods. The men, aged between 25 and 47, allegedly stole the goods from a Birch Acres home and gave it to the driver to take it out of the country.
Molokomme said Norkem Park acting branch manager commander, Capt Tau Mogoboya, W/O Kenny Mthembu and Const Tokolo Molaiwa, with the help of the victim, were able to trace the stolen goods via an iPad and laptop the thieves took. The total value of the goods stolen amounted to about R20 000.
The complainant, a Mobola Street resident, left her home for Tembisa on April 20 at about 4.15pm. Upon her return in the early hours on April 21, she found her kitchen window and door had been forced open. After checking the house, she found her iPad, laptop, plasma TV and a set of house keys had been stolen. She alerted Norkem Park SAPS and the thieves were traced.
According to the police, the driver was not aware that he was transporting stolen goods. He was brought back to Norkem Park to help the police track down the suspects who gave him the goods to drive to Mozambique.
“The suspects were arrested in Phomolong and were found in possession of suspected stolen properties such as music systems, a laptop, DVD players, speakers and other electrical appliances.”
The complainant’s plasma TV was later brought back to the station after police got information from one of the suspects that he gave it to another person to have it delivered to his home in Maputo, Mozambique.
