Durban — A luxurious BMW X3 which was stolen from Westville in Durban, was among two vehicles recovered within 24 hours in Mpumalanga.
Nelspruit Flying Squad officers recovered two vehicles and a firearm on the R40 road between Barberton and Mbombela (Nelspruit) within 24 hours.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Captain Magonseni Nkosi said a Zimbabwean foreign national, 32, is expected to appear before Barberton Magistrate’s Court soon following his arrest for possession of a reported stolen vehicle on the R40 and R38 junction on Thursday.
“According to information, members of White River Flying Squad were busy with their normal patrol duties when they received information from a vehicle tracking company alerting them about the vehicle that was reported stolen from Westville in KwaZulu-Natal province. The vehicle was driving from Badplaas towards Barberton direction,” Nkosi said.
Officers answered the call and a white BMW X3 matching the description was spotted.
“Further investigation was conducted and the vehicle matched the one that was stolen from Westville this month, October 2024,” Nkosi said.
“The driver of the vehicle failed to explain the circumstances in which he got the vehicle and was arrested for possession of suspected stolen vehicle.”
Nkosi said the suspect is expected to appear before Barberton Magistrate’s Court soon and police cannot rule out possibilities of adding other charges.
Nkosi said the recovery came a day after the White River Flying Squad recovered a hijacked Toyota Yaris that was hijacked in Barberton.
Police were doing their normal patrol duties on Thursday, at about 11pm, when they stopped a vehicle on the R40 road around Hilltop. The driver stopped but alighted from the vehicle and disappeared into the bushes.
“Through further investigation it was established that the vehicle was hijacked at gunpoint in Barberton,” Nkosi said.
“A firearm was also recovered a stone’s throw away from where the vehicle was stopped.
“Both the vehicle and the firearm were seized for further investigation.”
Meanwhile, in August, the Fidelity Services Group said these 6 things make you vulnerable to hijackers or vehicle theft:
- Being unobservant and pre-occupied when pulling into your street and driveway. Is there a strange car or person nearby? Are you too busy talking on your cellphone to notice?
- Boxing yourself in by pulling up right to the gate and waiting for it to open. You have nowhere to go if another car blocks you from behind.
- Not noticing you are being followed. This could be from the bank, from an appointment or from the office. The best way to determine if you are being followed is to take a few turns and see if the car follows. If you need to, go to the nearest police station or petrol station and call for help.
- Following the same routine day in and day out. Hijackers rely on your routine to execute their plans. If you do things to the minute every day, they’ll know exactly when you are at your most vulnerable.
- Not checking your car is actually locked before walking away. Remote jamming is rife and it can happen to you anywhere. Always check your doors before walking away and look around for suspicious people sitting in a car nearby.
- Not having any vehicle protection devices fitted.
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