Police in Mpumalanga, working collaboratively with other stakeholders, including Car Tracker Company continue to witness great achievements in the battle against hijacking, theft, or robbery of vehicles.
As a result, a white Toyota Hilux Clubcab bakkie was recovered in Middleburg and a 34-year-old male suspect was locked up. The man was arrested by members from the Middleburg Flying Squad on Friday, 10 March 2023. He is faced with a charge of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle.
According to the report, members of the SAPS received the said information from Car Tracker Company regarding a bakkie that was reportedly stolen in a theft incident which occurred earlier on Friday, 10 March 2023, at a certain yard in Witbank.
The information further indicated that the vehicle was signaled travelling on the Stoffberg Road near Loskop Dam heading towards Groblersdal direction. The details were then followed where the car with Limpopo registration number plates driven by the man was spotted and stopped by the members. Upon further check it was then realized that the vehicle was the one which police have been looking for after a theft case was reported, hence the driver was arrested and charged accordingly.
He is expected to appear in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday 13 March 2023.
Meanwhile in a separate incident, information came through from the Intelligence structure of the police in Middelburg which led to the recovery of a firearm, 9 mm pistol with a magazine and eight live rounds. Thanks to Middelburg Flying Squad as they were also part of the operation which yielded this positive results.
It is said that in the early hours of Sunday 12 March 2023, around 00:10, the details regarding a person who was noticed in possession of a pistol without a licence were followed with an operation conducted by members. Upon arrival at a certain house in Middelburg, a suspect reportedly fled to evade an arrest however the men and women in Blue recovered the said items and they are still in pursuit of the suspect.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi has once again acknowledged with much appreciation the great work achieved through collaborative efforts between the Car Tracker Company and the SAPS. The General also applauded members for the recovery of the firearm. “We hope by now the public can see that their anxiety regarding proliferation of firearms as well as theft, robbery and hijacking of motor vehicles has been taken into serious consideration by both the state working jointly with the private sector. This incident is one which should reignite hope for members of the community that their concerns did not fall on deaf ears. More is still yet to be achieved, just watch the space” said the General.