Hard blow for syndicate with six arrests
Police made a commendable breakthrough on Saturday with the arrest, or rather re-arrest, of Moses Diale, alongside five other suspects believed to be part of an alleged signal-jammer crime syndicate.
His brother William was also nabbed.
The Diale brothers appeared in court on Tuesday, alongside Tupelo Radeon, Tsepo Monona, Simon Moore and Thabiso Lepelesane. The case was postponed to August 17, with all six suspects remanded in custody.
The men, aged between 32 and 49, were arrested on Saturday with vehicle-jamming devices in their possession.
They were stopped and searched by Middelburg SAPS Flying Squad members on the N4 during a routine stop and search operation. A twelve-way signal jammer was among an array of instruments used to break into vehicles.
After the arrests, police confirmed that they “cannot rule out possibilities of linking the suspects to crimes committed elsewhere”.
Moses Diale can be linked to at least 34 other cases of vehicle theft and hijacking.
The Fortuner searched by police during Saturday’s arrests has been confirmed as stolen. Police further believe that it is the same Fortuner used in a car theft in Middelburg in May this year.
Also read: Prokureur se bakkie gesteel – verdagte vinnig vas
Moses Diale was arrested for the car theft and was out on bail during his arrest on Saturday.
Police allege that on Friday, May 7, Diale stole the bakkie of a prominent Belfast lawyer, Mr Petri Badenhorst, in Middelburg.
“Exactly 15 minutes after reporting my bakkie stolen, police notified me that they recovered it and effected an arrest,” Mr Badenhorst told the paper.
A Tracker signal was activated, and response teams from Tracker, the Flying Squad and Delmas Police responded, forcing the bakkie off the road close to Red Star Raceway on the N12, close to Delmas.
The registration plates had already been replaced with false decoys.
A white Fortuner, believed to be driven by Diale’s brother William, was also involved in the chase but succeeded in escaping, resulting in only Moses’ arrest, despite William’s ID being found in the stolen bakkie.
A white Fortuner was also caught on CCTV video during the theft of two Nissan NP200 delivery bakkies at OH Frewin Printers earlier this year, spurring police to suspect the syndicate’s involvement.
The syndicate is also suspected of involvement with the April theft of a Toyota Hilux in front of the Middelburg Magistrates Court. The Hilux was later recovered in Daveyton.
Provincial Police management lauded the Middelburg SAPS for the breakthrough.
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