A 46-year-old suspect from President Park in Midrand was arrested after attempting to bribe authorities with R5 000 cash to help his accomplice evade arrest.
This was after police arrested the 36-year-old accomplice from Rabie Ridge for being in possession of a cloned police motor vehicle and possession of a stolen car.
The two were arrested on February 27 by members of Ekurhuleni District Crime Intelligence Trio Task Team, Tembisa Tracing Team, and Highway Patrol. The multidisciplinary teams were following up on a tip-off regarding a suspiciously marked South African Police Service vehicle in the Rabie Ridge area.
According to Captain Neldah Sekgobela, the Ekurhuleni District police spokesperson, a Mazda BT50 with a registration number resembling a police vehicle was being driven on Modderfontein Road.
“Information was that the driver of the vehicle was seen at a local car wash. An intelligence-driven operation was immediately conducted by the teams and a marked police vehicle was recovered. The vehicle resembles a SAPS vehicle and had provincial head office markings on it,” said Sekgobela.
“The driver fled and was later traced. He was interviewed and preliminary investigations revealed that the vehicle belonged to the suspect who is involved in truck hijackings using a police-cloned vehicle.”
The vehicle was confirmed to have been stolen in Bedfordview in December last year and was fitted with sirens and blue lights.
She said later the owner of the vehicle arrived and tried to bribe the police to release the driver. He was immediately placed under arrest.
Both the suspects were detained at Rabie Ridge Police Station.
Ekurhuleni District Commissioner Major General Anna Sithole thanked the members for their swift response.
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