Police in Ekurhuleni intercepted and arrested a 33-year-old woman in the Benoni area for being in possession of a car that was reported as hijacked.
Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) said the woman was arrested on Saturday.
“While conducting a stop and search, driver and vehicle fitness operation on Rangeview Road by the R23, EMPD officers stopped a white Volkswagen Polo Vivo sedan, with a single female driver inside the vehicle,” said Thepa.
The EMPD officers requested the driver to provide them with her driver's licence, which she produced.
Thepa said while inspecting the vehicle, the EMPD officers noticed that there was “something suspicious” on the licence disc of the vehicle.
“A further enquiry on the e-Natis was immediately conducted, to test the VIN number. The results came back positive, indicating to the alert police officers that the vehicle was reported hijacked/robbed with an Atteridgeville case number, in Pretoria,” said Thepa.
Thepa said that the officers explained what they found to the “shocked” female driver, who alleged that she bought the vehicle from someone and has been using it for a while now.
“Officers handcuffed the suspect, who was marched to the Benoni police station. The suspect facing charges of possession of a reported hijacked motor vehicle is expected to appear in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court soon.”
Last month, IOL reported that members of the EMPD had intercepted and arrested a 54-year-old man for possession of a stolen vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, in the Tsakane area.
At the time, Thepa said a vehicle tracking company provided police with the coordinates of the stolen vehicle.
“EMPD officers who were on patrol received intel from a well-known vehicle tracking company, about a stolen white Toyota light delivery vehicle, reported stolen at the Springs police station. Officers immediately acted on the information, by following the coordinates,” Thepa said at the time.
“Law enforcers managed to locate and tactically stopped the sought light delivery vehicle, with one occupant, at the corner of First and Second, by extension 12A. Upon interviewing the driver, who alleged that he bought the vehicle from someone, officers explained that the vehicle, happened to be stolen and it tested positive.”
She added that the driver, “who pretended to be confused”, was handcuffed and marched to the Tsakane police station, while the recovered vehicle, was booked in at the Aeroton police pound, for further investigations.
IOL