The Middelburg Observer reported in Friday’s edition about the arrest of a man who claimed that he was hijacked, just to be arrested for car theft later.

The man claimed that he was hijacked at Uitkyk Station. He alleged that the hijackers later dropped him on the corner of Gram- and Zuid Street.

He further alleged that his SIM card and licence had been stolen during the hijacking.

Police phoned his employer who, checked the car’s tracking system, which showed that the vehicle had not been travelling anywhere near the area where the suspect was allegedly hijacked or dropped.

The SAPS searched the man and found his SIM card and licence on him.

He has not been formally charged since his arrest, and his identity is being withheld until his first court appearance.

Mpumalanga’s Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Daphney Manamela, commended the Middelburg and Mhluzi police for a job well done in ensuring that criminals stayed at bay on election day.

“Even theft out of motor vehicles showed a drastic decline on voting day,” Captain Zwane told www.mobserver.co.za in regards to crimes reported at the Middelburg Police Station. Mhluzi police also had no serious crimes to report. The cluster reported that one person was arrested in Waterval Boven for defacing political posters.

The suspect already appeared in court on Friday on a charge of malicious damage to property, after being caught damaging two election posters.