Service provider arrested for theft of diesel from a municipal refuse truck
Video footage and photos sparked an investigation resulting in the arrest.
A man was arrested at his home in Brakpan North yesterday (Tuesday) for the theft of diesel.
According to EMPD spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, the EMPD Community Liaison Unit (CLU) received information, sourced from video footage and photos trending on social media and community groups, regarding an environment and waste truck being drained of diesel.
It was established that the truck was booked into an external service centre for repairs in Benoni.
The service provider, who was not employed by the City of Ekurhuleni, called the foreman of the Brakpan workshop to request diesel for the truck.
The man alleged that the truck was repaired and awaiting delivery to Kempton Park but did not have sufficient fuel to reach its destination.
The officers went to the fuel depot in Brakpan and upon checking the diesel log sheet from the petrol attendant, found that the truck was filled with 221l of diesel on Monday.
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The EMPD CLU members continued their investigation and established that the truck went to fill up again with 177l of diesel the next day.
Members of the unit searched for the truck and spotted it at a Benoni workshop. It is alleged the man took the truck to his house in McMillan Street to drain the diesel that was poured in over the two days.
The man alleges that he only drained two containers of 25lt.
“When asked about the person who was in the video with him, the suspect claims he does not know the person’s whereabouts, alleging he only knows the person is from Tsakani,” said EMPD spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa.
The man was detained at the Brakpan police station and charged with theft. He will appear in the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court soon.
“Investigations are ongoing and further arrests are imminent,” added Thepa.
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