Police in Ekurhuleni have recovered a heavy-duty truck and its two trailers, which were hijacked in Mpumalanga and abandoned in the Klippoortjie area, in Gauteng.
Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) said the empty truck was found on Tuesday morning, and its owner was traced in Mpumalanga.
“On Tuesday, October 24, at 6.50am, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department’s Germiston South precinct officers who were busy performing point duty during peak hour traffic were alerted by a passer-by about a suspicious-looking, abandoned truck parked not far from the intersection of Osborn and the R554,” Thepa said.
“Two EMPD officers responded and the abandoned white UD truck tractor (also referred to as the horse), with two trailers, was approached and tested. Officers learned that the truck in question had spent the night unattended, on an island and it was reported robbed/hijacked in the Middelburg area.”
Thepa said through the assistance of a well-known private vehicle tracking company, the truck’s owner, residing in Mpumalanga, was notified of their truck’s position.
“All the necessary stakeholders were summoned to the scene. Investigations are under way,” said Thepa.
Earlier on Wednesday, IOL reported that two men have been in arrested in Ekurhuleni after they were found in possession of a single cab Isuzu bakkie which was also reported stolen in Mpumalanga.
Thepa said after the two were cornered by police, the duo insisted they were only test-driving the vehicle.
“On Tuesday, October 24, at 7am, the EMPD’s task team officers arrested two male suspects, aged 19 and 20, for possession of a reported stolen light delivery vehicle in the Tsakane area,” said Thepa.
“The EMPD officers received information about a reported stolen light delivery vehicle spotted roaming the streets of Tsakane and after following the trail, they tactically cornered the wanted white Isuzu single cab on Duyiswa Street, matching the description given, with two male occupants.”
She said the Isuzu bakkie was thoroughly searched and tested, where officers learned that the vehicle was reported stolen in the Mpumalanga province, at Witbank on Monday night.
“The duo alleged that they were test-driving the bakkie, after fixing its tyres from the workshop. The hawk-eyed EMPD officers did not buy the story further, before the two were handcuffed and taken to the Tsakane police station,” said Thepa.
“The detained pair is expected to appear at the Tsakane Magistrate’s Court soon. The recovered light delivery vehicle was kept at the police station.”
IOL