Johannesburg - Police in Gauteng have arrested two men believed to be part of a hijacking syndicate targeting SUVs.
The pair, aged 40 and 41, were nabbed in Germiston just moments after allegedly stealing a vehicle.
“The duo, who were found in possession of a suspected stolen Toyota Land Cruiser, Kia Rio and vehicle theft implements, are expected to appear at the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. (They are) facing charges of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of vehicle theft and break-in implements,” said provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo.
He said police received a tip-off about a gang stealing high-end vehicles in Gauteng.
“A team of law enforcement agencies, consisting of South African Police Service Crime Intelligence, Tracker Connect, Gauteng Traffic Police Saturation Unit and Badboyz Security, operationalised the information and went on a lookout for the suspects.
“In Bedfordview on Tuesday, the team spotted the suspects driving in two vehicles, a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Kia Rio. Both vehicles were followed until they stopped outside the residential premises in Roodekop, Germiston," Masondo said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Toyota Land Cruiser had been stolen in Bedfordview and the Kia Rio had been fitted with fake registration plates.
Upon profiling the suspects, it was established that they have pending cases of theft of motor vehicles.
Earlier this year, Gqeberha police warned luxury vehicle owners to be on high alert following a spike in hijackings.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said they had noted a trend in vehicle hijackings in SUVs and newer-model cars in KwaZakele, New Brighton and Motherwell.
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