The quick response of reaction officers from Middelburg Dagpatrollie resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle.

According to Frikkie Vermaak (Dagpatrollie), the white Hyundai Grand I10 was stolen in Durban in August, and a case was opened.

The Dagpatrollie reaction team, however, received information on Monday at 21:16 that the stolen vehicle’s tracking device had been activated in Mhluzi.

With the assistance of the tracking company, as well as an independent freelance tracker, the reaction team, which comprised Vermaak, Arthur Hill and Cor Nienaber, responded to the location and came across a white Hyundai matching the description with Mpumalanga-based registration plates.

Upon closer inspection, however, it was confirmed to be the stolen vehicle after the VIN and engine number corresponded with the stolen vehicle’s.

According to Vermaak, the person in possession of the vehicle had privately purchased it without knowing it was stolen.

“This vehicle was stolen by a syndicate with access to the NATIS system because the vehicle had been removed from the NATIS system, and new registration papers and number plates were issued on the same chassis, VIN and engine numbers. It was not even flagged as stolen.”

Vermaak said the car was handed over to the Mhluzi Police Station, which is handling the investigation further.

Hill commended the outstanding work of his team in recovering the stolen vehicle.