Bank card thieves set to appear in court
The 4 occupants were searched and found in possession of various bank cards which did not belong to them
4 suspects will make their second court appearance today (Thursday) in the Colenso Magistrate’s Court on fraud charges.
The suspects – Stabiso Majiya (20), Sithuli Hlongwane (33), Mfanafuthi Shangase (23) and Thandanani Smamane (29) – have been in custody since they were arrested last week.
On September 24, Winterton police officers were patrolling the area at about 11am when they received information about a suspicious-looking vehicle with four occupants near the ATM at Winterton. The officers started to look for the said vehicle and it was spotted in the area.
The 4 occupants were searched and found in possession of various bank cards which did not belong to them.
They were also found in possession of more than R1000 cash, which was suspected to have been withdrawn at the Bergville ATM using one of the bank cards found on them.
The suspects may also be involved in other fraud cases where unsuspecting victims were robbed of their bank cards.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the Winterton officers, as well as the community who alerted the officers about criminal activities in their area. ‘We appeal to the community to continue working hand-in-hand with the police in fighting crime in our province. The arrested suspects might be linked to other cases where stolen bank cards were used to withdraw cash from ATMs,” she said.
