Umbilo SAPS catch thieves red handed with gas
UMBILO police arrested two men for possession of a suspected stolen gas cylinder on Friday.
According to Captain Pumzile Makaula, communications officer at Umbilo SAPS, the police officer was patrolling along Bartle Road on Friday morning when he noticed two suspicious men carrying a large gas cylinder. “The officer stopped the police van and approached the men. He introduced himself to them as a police officer and asked them about the gas cylinder and was told they were taking the gas to their aunt who was waiting at Umbilo train station. The officer put the two men and the gas cylinder inside the van and took them to the station and asked them to point out their aunt. The suspects were unable to do so and could not produce the receipt as a proof of payment for the refill of the gas which had recently been filled and sealed,” Makaula said.
Apartment fraud continues
A young woman desperate for accommodation in Glenwood fell victim to fraudsters last week. According to Captain Pumzile Makaula, communications officer at Umbilo SAPS the woman was interested in renting a flat on Helen Joseph (Frere) Road that she saw advertised on Gumtree, but when she called the number and spoke to the alleged owner, she was told to pay a deposit as many people wanted the flat. “The victim made the deposit and was told to collect the keys from the previous tenant. However, when the woman allegedly called the tenant’s phone it went straight to voicemail and when she tried to contact the owner of the flat, her phone was also off,” she explained. Makaula advised prospective tenants to be more vigilant before parting with money and to rather go through agencies to avoid being the victim of such scams.
