Alan Selkon says police also helped a thief to push his business bakkie, which he reported stolen earlier that evening, back into the garage by the time he returned.
Police denies this and say they found the bakkie with its keys in the ignition in front of the business, drove it inside the garage, locked the gate and handed the keys to the owner when he arrived later the evening. They also deny that they forced his 12 year old son to drive him home and said they dropped him, the boy and another adult off at his business at 01:00 in the morning and drove off.
According to Selkon, it all started at 18:00 on February 5 when he, his son Sabian and another employee noticed that his business’ Toyota Hilux bakkie was missing. He did not know the phone number for Heidelberg Police Station and phoned 10111. The operator told him that they will contact the police and he waited for an hour.
He dropped his son off for karate practise and drove to the police station himself where he confronted a police captain in the charge office. According to Selkon, the conversation got heated and the captain told him to get out of the station or be thrown out. Selkon admitted that he was not in a friendly mood when he confronted the officer.
He left the station but instead of driving away, went back inside and confronted the captain again. By now the officer told him if he did not leave on his own accord, he will be thrown in jail, thus he left.
When he returned at 19:15 to his business, the stolen bakkie was parked in the garage and the gate was locked. He went to fetch his son from karate class and went to the Spur where they stayed untill closing time around 01:00.
Selkon could not find his car keys and asked police to take him, Sabian and the other employee back to his business.
According to Selkon, the police told him that he was drunk and forced his 12 year old son to drive him home in the Toyota Hilux.
Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Viljoen (VISPOL Commander) investigated the allegations and the team on duty that night told her that they received a call from 10111 about a stolen vehicle. When they arrived at the business, they saw the reported stolen bakkie outside the premises with the keys in the ignition.
Other employees that was still on the premises told police that the driver working at the business and the owner got into a heated argument before the driver left with the bakkie. However the driver was now nowhere to be seen and the police members decided to park the bakkie in the garage and locked the gate.
They phoned 10111 to report that they have found the stolen vehicle and have parked it in a safe place. They also reported that they will leave the vehicle’s key at the station. All phone calls are recorded by 10111.
On their way back to the police station, they passed Selkon in his own bakkie with the business’ logo and realised he was on his way back to the business premises. They went back to the business where they explained the situation to Selkon and handed over the keys of the vehicle.
According to the officers they then left the premises.
Police received a call at 01:00 from security at the Victorian Centre to remove a man who has lost his car keys. The same policeman who returned the keys to Selkon said he drove Selkon, the 12 year old boy and another man to the business premises.
According to the police officer, he realised that Selkon was under the influence but was assured that the other adult will drive them home. Police said they dropped the three off and left.
