The Benoni police are warning residents against criminals pretending to be police officers phoning people whose cars have been stolen or hijacked.
Benoni SAPS spokesperson Capt Nomsa Sekele said when a stolen car is recovered, the victim is not required to pay for it to be towed to the police vehicle pound.
On July 23, a man was hijacked of a Ford Ranger in Vosloorus.
Sekele said the man received a call on July 25 from a man claiming to be Det Mulaudzi, who was investigating his hijacking case.
However, there is no such officer at the pound.
“The alleged detective told the victim they have found the vehicle and told him if they take the vehicle to the pound he might find it with some parts missing,” said Sekele.
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“The scammers asked the victim to deposit a certain amount of money at a money market so they can deliver his vehicle. The man deposited the money; however, the car was never delivered to his house.”
He then went to the vehicle pound on July 26 and found that there is no detective of that name.
The spokesperson reiterated that police do not charge for the towing of stolen and abandoned vehicles to the police vehicle pound.
“We are appealing to the community to work with police and report those incidents to prevent such criminal activities. People must remember that criminals are opportunists who always strike when a person is vulnerable,” she said.
Sekele added that the community has the right to know who is investigating their case and to be updated about the investigation.
“Under no circumstances should anyone pay for a vehicle to be towed to the police vehicle pound.”
If you have been a victim of this scam, contact the Benoni Police Station on 011 747 0000 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
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