On Thursday, November 3, members from Ladysmith Vehicle Identification Section (VIS) held an operation related to the tracing of stolen motor vehicles.

At ‘E’ Section, Ezakheni police found two Nissan 1400 light delivery vehicles (LDVs), which appear to have had changes made to their identification markers. These vehicles were seized for further investigation into their origin.

One of the vehicles was subsequently established to have been stolen at Estcourt during September this year. The unit continued their operation into the Weenen and Msinga areas where they found a Toyota Hilux shell and vehicle parts. This vehicle was stolen in Weenen during July this year.

A fourth vehicle, a Ford Bantam, was also seized for further investigation after it was also found to bear evidence of tampering with the identification markers. The origin of this vehicle will also be investigated further to establish whether it may have been stolen.
On Friday, November 4, during an operation held at Bergville a fifth vehicle, a Ford LDV, was also seized as evidence in order to establish its origin.

At this stage no arrests have been made, since investigations are on-going.
In the interest of keeping your property safe from theft, police advise the community to take extra precautions to secure their vehicles.

Ensure that your vehicle is parked in a secure place when in the central business district or at your home. Take the time to double check whether your vehicle is properly locked and that no suspicious individuals are watching you or your vehicle.

Critically evaluate your security at home and work – look for possible exit and entrance points, which may make your home or vehicle vulnerable to theft. When buying second hand vehicles take the time to have the vehicle checked for any deviations to the identification markers and ensure that the vehicle you are buying is not stolen.

The Vehicle Identification Section can help you in this regard.
Bear in mind that if you buy stolen cars and parts, someone may have been seriously injured or may even have lost their lives during the theft or hijacking of the car. Don’t support the criminal industry by buying stolen goods!