The Port Elizabeth Vehicle Crime Investigating Unit (VCIU) is urgently seeking the community’s assistance in tracing a person of interest who can assist with an ongoing investigation into alleged vehicle finance fraudulent transactions during December 2018 and January 2019.
It is alleged that on 19 December 2018, at approximately 15:30 a person claiming to be Sithembiso Sifiso Mashwama (False name) contacted a car dealership in North End and showed interest in purchasing a red VW Polo GTI, DSG. The salesman sent him an offer to purchase and he replied with all the documents required to process the transaction. After the approval he instructed the salesman to continue with the application, but requested for this vehicle to be delivered in Montana, Johannesburg on the 21 December 2018.
The financial manager requested that he sign the contract and email it back to her which he did, but she further requested him to go to the nearest dealership to verify his ID and driver’s licence. He then claimed that he saw the email only later in the evening and would visit his nearest branch the following morning. On Friday afternoon at approximately 17:00 the driver handed the vehicle to him and returned to Port Elizabeth. It was later established that the documentation that he presented was fraudulent. The vehicle is valued at R305 000.00.
In another incident on Friday 11 January 2019, at 15:30 the person used the same documentation and name when approaching another dealership in Govan Mbeki ave, North End. He was interested in the same model vehicle as the first, a VW Polo GTI, DSG. He requested them to include carrier cost in his vehicle finance with regard to delivery in Montana, Johannesburg.
The following day, Saturday 12 January, the man came to the dealership and explained that they can pay him the carrier cost that was included in his vehicle finance because he decided to collect the vehicle himself. An amount of R5700.00 was paid over to him in cash and they handed over the keys to the vehicle to him. He struggled to drive the vehicle because of the DSG gearbox. The salesman informed him that he must return the following day, in order for them to show him how to drive the vehicle.
The suspect left and returned the following day. While they were busy verifying his documents, he pretended to receive a phone call and walked out and never returned. A case of fraud is currently under investigation for the amount of R5700.00.
The investigating officer believe that the person in the photo can positively contribute in his investigation and request that anyone with information can phone D/WO Morne Sweeney on 083 453 5830 or Crime Stop on 086 00 10111. Callers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence.
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