Seven arrested in connection with theft of wheels, rims and mags

Police have arrested seven people and recovered an estimated R1-million worth of tyres, rims and mags.

Some of the recovered wheels.

The arrests were made over two days, and started when police investigated the theft of a spare tyre which was stolen in a parking lot at the centre on the corner of O’Reilly Merry Street and Malherbe Road, in Rynfield, on August 15.

Brig Johan Jacobs, Benoni SAPS station commander, said police received video footage of the theft.

A lookout for the vehicle was circulated by SAPS and it was spotted by PHP Security Services on Atlas Road, on the afternoon of August 15.

Three men in a blue Mazda were arrested.

Involved in the arrest were PHP Security Services, the Benoni Flying Squad and the Benoni Roadblock Task Team under Capt Imber Groesbeek.

The suspects are facing charges of possession of suspected stolen property and possession of house break-in implements.

Jacobs said after interviewing the men, police were led to a house in Sunward Park, in Boksburg, on the evening of August 15.

Two men, believed to be selling the rims and wheels on the internet, were arrested, and police recovered suspected stolen rims, mags and tyres.

The men are facing charges of possession of suspected stolen property.

Jacobs said police were able to identify a storage facility in Pomona where more suspected stolen items were being stored, based on photos of the facility on one of the suspect’s Facebook page.

Police visited the area yesterday (August 16) and found more tyres, rims and mags.

The station commander said that while police were removing the goods, a man and a woman unexpectedly arrived at the unit with keys for the security gate.

The two were arrested for possession of suspected stolen property.

Jacobs said the suspects are thought to be responsible for the theft of spare tyres of bakkies and SUVs in Benoni and the surrounding areas.

He urged people whose wheels have been stolen in the last year and who have opened cases, to visit the Benoni SAPS to possibly identify their goods.