Two men who have been targeting unsuspecting motorists stopping at Engen 1-Stop garages on the R21, are behind bars.
The pair used a jamming device to unlock cars when motorists stopped for snacks.
Believing their cars were locked, many motorists could not understand why valuables were missing from their vehicles, Chief Supt Wilfred Kgasago, spokesman for Ekurhuleni Metro Police, said.
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“Management at these garages were puzzled by the numerous complaints from clients who stated they were losing valuables from their vehicles after stopping for refreshments. More puzzling was the fact that the clients claimed they ensured that their vehicles were locked before doing their shopping,” Kgasago said.
“The disappearance of valuables from the clients’ vehicles had been going on for over five days. Reviewing of the security video footage revealed the culprits, as well as the vehicle they were using.”
On Wednesday, October 28, management of the garages requested the assistance of the EMPD Intervention Unit, which readily obliged and as a result, two suspects identified on the video footage were apprehended at around 5pm at the garage on the western side of the freeway.
Kgasago said: “At first the culprits denied involvement but when the video footage was shown to them, they had no choice but to confess. The pair led the police to a shop owner in Pretoria who they claimed was the buyer of the stolen goods.
“The Pretoria shop owner was found in possession of a laptop and six cellphones. He was also arrested. An amount of R15 300 cash was confiscated from the shop owner as it was suspected to be proceeds from selling the stolen goods.”
All three suspects were charged at Olifantsfontein Police Station with theft from motor vehicles and possession of suspected stolen goods. They appeared in Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, October 29.
