Police have apprehended a person considered to be a ringleader in the theft and smuggling of high-end vehicles into neighboring nations.
The suspect was discovered with a Ford Ranger, a Mercedes-Benz C Class, and a Toyota Fortuner GD-6 that had been reported stolen.
Colonel Mavela Masondo, a spokesperson for the South African Authorities Service (SAPS) in Gauteng, stated that on Thursday, 3 February 2023, police received information that the suspect would be at one of the Johannesburg retail malls where he typically operates.
A group of law enforcement agencies was then assembled to apprehend the suspect.
A driver delivering illegal cigarettes loses control of his vehicle and is killed.
Masondo stated that the squad maintained a tight eye on the suspect and observed him entering a shopping complex in a grey Mercedes-Benz that he parked in the basement. He then departed in a white Ford Ranger parked in the basement. The crew then ambushed the guy as he was leaving the mall.
“Preliminary inquiry found that the Ford Ranger was stolen from its owner in Alexandra, while the Mercedes Benz was stolen in the Moffat View neighborhood.
“Further investigation took the crew to the suspect’s residence, where a tampered-with white Toyota Fortuner was seized. The police also collected a number of vehicle registration documents and passports, according to a police spokesperson.
In addition, Masondo stated that the suspect was apprehended and accused with allegedly owning stolen or hijacked automobiles. On Monday, February 6, 2023, he is set to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court. awaiting further investigation, additional suspects may be apprehended.
Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, Commissioner of the Gauteng Police, praised the team’s efforts to locate and apprehend the offender.
Mawela also ordered the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation and create a profile of the suspect, who may be part of a larger criminal organization.
»Suspected leader of a transnational vehicle crime ring has been detained«