Pretoria - A 23-year-old man is set to appear in court after he was arrested by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) for possession of an Isuzu bakkie which was hijacked during a robbery committed by heavily armed assailants.
EMPD spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said the man was sitting in the driver’s seat of the hijacked car, at a car wash in Etwatwa.
“On Monday,January 16, at 2pm in Etwatwa area, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department’s Bronberg precinct officers arrested a male suspect, for possession of the reported hijacked motor vehicle.
“The EMPD officers received information about a lookout, of a vehicle that was robbed in Sebokeng area, allegedly by eight heavily armed males, at an intersection of R28 and N1.
“Not long after, the sought white Isuzu light delivery vehicle (LDV), was spotted around Etwatwa, parked at the corner of Kopie Motebang and Laries streets at the car wash,” she said.
Thepa said when the man in the car was confronted by police officers, he could not explain the circumstances, and was arrested.
“Behind the steering wheel, was the 23-year-old male, who could not explain anything about the vehicle in his possession,” she said.
“The suspect, who is expected to appear at an appropriate magistrate’s court, was handcuffed and marched to the Etwatwa police station. The recovered Isuzu LDV was taken to Benoni area, at the Van Ryns Deep (police yard), for safe keeping,” she said.
Last week, a 32-year-old man was arrested by members of the EMPD while driving a stolen Ford Ranger Wildtrak double cab vehicle.
Thepa said the 32-year-old insisted he was only taking the vehicle to a car wash.
“On Wednesday, January, 11, at 5.30pm in Tsakane area, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department Tsakane precinct officers apprehended a suspect and the reported stolen light delivery vehicle (LDV), was uncovered,” Thepa said at the time.
“While patrolling the streets of Tsakane, EMPD officers received information about a stolen double cab detected driving around the area. The Ford Ranger double cab, reported stolen in Actonville recently, was spotted on Mohlare Street at extension 8, with one occupant before it was stopped, and the driver cornered.”
“The 32-year-old male driver alleged that he was requested by some guys to take the light delivery vehicle to the nearest car wash,” she said.
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