Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela said the provincial vehicle-crime investigating unit had recovered vehicle parts which have been linked to at least nine cases of either hijacked or stolen vehicles reported at different police stations in the province.
Speaking about the recovered parts, Mawela said, “Two VW Polo headlights positively linked to a Randburg case opened this month; a Toyota Etios gearbox linked to a Brixton case opened in June this year; a VW gearbox casing linked to a Florida case also opened in June this year; and VW Polo parts with engine and gearbox linked to a Honeydew case this month.”
Other vehicle parts that were recovered were a Nissan headlight and brake booster linked to a Parkview case of August 2019; a Toyota brake booster linked to a Jeppe case of June this year; a Toyota Etios brake booster linked to Brixton case of March this year; and a Toyota Etios rear bumper linked to a Johannesburg Central case opened in October 2018.
Mawela added, “The unit with Ekurhuleni Metro Police and Tracker followed a stolen vehicle from Soweto to Commissioner Street in Jeppestown, Johannesburg.”
The owner of the chop shop managed to escape and police had launched a manhunt for him.
The police will continue these type of operations and the public has been urged to report suspicious chop shops. “Buying at such places only creates the space for hijacking and places the lives of innocent people at risk,” the commissioner concluded.
Related articles:
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/244131/theft-out-of-motor-vehicle-rife-in-norwood-police-precinct-2/
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/238022/police-arrest-12-suspects-and-recovered-three-stolen-vehicles/
