Cape Town Central police arrested two men for possession of a stolen car over the weekend.
Police spokesperson, Captain Ezra October, said while conducting stop-and-search operations in Loop Street, two men stopped the officers to ask for help to track their stolen vehicle, which, according to the tracking
system, was being driven up Long Street.
The driver, who works for two men who run a taxi business, told police that around 6am on Saturday August 17, a couple had booked him to drive them around for the day.
“While driving them around Cape Town, they picked up another man, who joined the journey, which included areas like Hanover Park, Century City, N1, Woodstock, CBD and Kloof Street. The driver became suspicious when they instructed him to pick up more people, who forced him to Upper Kloof Street, where they took his car,” explained Captain October.
“Unaware that the vehicle was fitted with a tracking device, they spent all day driving around town. The driver fail to report the matter at the police station and only informed the owner of the incident around 7pm on Sunday (August 18).”
The owner then activated the tracking device and decided to trace his car, but was unable to find his way around the CBD. Officers then advised the owners to open up a case, and the vehicle was flagged in Plein Street, with two men inside. They were arrested for possession of stolen property.
On Friday August 16, police arrested an 18-year-old man for assault during a physical altercation at the Golden Arrow bus terminus. Police have now increased patrols in the vicinity of the bus terminus during peak hours.
The Cape Town Central police arrested 28 people between Monday August 13 and Sunday August 19, all for crimes related to drugs with an estimated street value of R 4 500.
The shoplifting squad members also arrested six people for stealing from shops in the Cape Town city centre during the same week. The suspects were detained, and the stolen goods were returned to shop owners.
The Cape Town Central police station has opened a case of perjury against a man who reported a false crime to the police.
According to Detective Sergeant Shaun Isaacs, the complainant went to the police station early last Saturday morning and reported that his girlfriend had been kidnapped.
The man claimed that his girlfriend had been pulled into a white minibus taxi and that the “perpetrators” had taken her handbag that
he had been carrying. The officers told him to come back after sobering up.
Detective Sergeant Isaacs said he visited his address and the address of the alleged victim.
“He was still adamant, giving the same story that the girlfriend was kidnapped,” he said.
Detective Sergeant Isaacs said he visited the alleged victim’s parents who told him that they were not aware that their child had been kidnapped.
“The mother told me that her daughter went to work for a function but she never came back that night,” she said.
Detective Sergeant Isaacs said
he was later informed by the mother that her daughter had returned home with her belongings, including the handbag the complainant had claimed was stolen.
“That was when I realised that this was another false crime,” he said.
He said he visited the alleged
victim who gave a statement under oath that she had never been kidnapped.
“That was when we made an arrest. The complainant stuck to his story even after the victim stated that she was never kidnapped. The police have opened a case against the complainant and are still waiting for the court to decide,” he said.
Detective Sergeant Isaacs said some people lie to police to be able to claim from their insurance but they need to be aware of the consequences of lying under oath.
“We put in time and, resources in cases and kidnapping is a more serious crime, so we put other crimes aside for this. People need to know that there will be consequences,” he said.