A man who has allegedly duped several people into giving him money for a vehicle that does not exist is wanted by the Wonderboompoort police in connection with fraud, theft and hijacking.
According to Warrant Officer Wanda Olivier, spokesperson for the Wonderboompoort police, the suspect allegedly advertised stolen vehicles on classified websites and in newspapers. She said several cases were being investigated.
Apparently, two of the vehicles that were advertised were registered in the suspect’s name. “It seems as if he is originally from KwaZulu-Natal,” Olivier commented. “In the advertisements, the suspect provides a VIN number as part of the description, but all of these were false. Some of the vehicles that were advertised include a red Toyota Conquest, a blue/green Fiat Uno and a blue Toyota Corolla.”
His modus operandi is to schedule a meeting at a popular restaurant or at the OR Tambo airport to exchange personal details and to ask for a cash deposit to secure the deal. “If the victims do not have any money on them, he allegedly takes them to a bank where they can withdraw large amounts of money,” Olivier said. The suspect then informs the buyer that the legal documentation is at the Eugene Marais Hospital where he works. Both the victim and suspect proceed to the hospital, but the suspect disappears as soon as they reach their destination.
“In other cases, the suspect allegedly grabbed the money from the victim, kicked him out of his vehicle and sped off. In another incident, he allegedly used a firearm,” Olivier said. The deposits range between R15 000 and R25 000.
The suspect is between 25 and 40 years of age, of Indian nationality, approximately 1,75m tall and has a medium build. He has dark eyes and short hair and speaks English. Olivier urges anyone with information on the suspect’s whereabouts that might lead to his arrest to phone Warrant Officer Wessel Pieterse on 012-335-2811/2/3 during office hours.
