Police warn that alleged syndicates are stealing cars in eMalahleni and Ogies. For the last two weeks vehicle theft has been alarmingly high with cars being stolen outside of schools in the middle of the day and even out of driveways and locked garages.
The police issued a statement after two suspects were arrested in Ogies for being in possession of an alleged stolen vehicle. Capt Eddie Hall spokesperson for the Witbank SAPS, warned that several syndicates are busy in eMalahleni and Ogies.
“Vehicle owners are requested to upgrade their vehicle security if possible.”
Syndicates usually steal older model vehicles to sell for spare parts, or popular high selling vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux which is the number 1 highest selling vehicle in South Africa at the moment. Recently two of theses bakkies were stolen just days apart. The police believe these thefts are linked to syndicate activity as Capt Hall said.
On November 6 a driver of a Hilux who is a resident of eMalahleni parked at a recent charity function in Midrand. He returned after only two hours to find his vehicle had been stolen. Even though there were car guards on duty the car thief managed to get away. The driver apparently asked the guards on duty for more details about the incident. Apparently they did not see the vehicle getting stolen.
This week another Toyota Hilux was stolen from a parking lot in eMalahleni when the driver stopped outside a shopping centre and returned to her car just a few hours later to find an empty parking space.
There were also car guards on duty at the time. Earlier this year during the opening of the document certification office at the Saveways Centre the current Station Commander Brig Delisiwe Motha spoke out about responsibility of car guards.
She said that all car guards must be registered and there must also be accountability when a car gets stolen while a car guard is on duty.
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