The alertness of Winkelhaak Distributers employees led to the arrest and detention of two suspected diesel thieves in Ermelo on Friday 28 April.
The men were arrested after attempting to ‘purchase’ 40,000 litres of diesel to the value of about R400 000 in the name of Aveng, Grinaker LTA.
The company is currently involved in the construction of the Majuba railway line between Ermelo and the Majuba power station near Volksrust.
The employees became suspicious when the two suspects, both Zimbabwean nationals, who had arrived at the depot with a hired fuel tanker the previous night, produced false order forms calling for the purchase of 40,000 litres of diesel.
The help of Acsu and the police was then called in.
According to a spokesperson from Winklehaak, Aveng had never previously bought such a large quantity of diesel at a time.
Suspicions that an imminent fraudulent deal was about to be attempted were further aroused when the suspects explained that they had travelled from Johannesburg in the hired truck and were going to off-load the diesel at a construction site in Pretoria.
The order forms were different to those normally used by Aveng. This was later confirmed by Mr Alan Mc Cormack of Aveng, Grinaker LTA who also had no knowledge of such an order being placed.
Explanations by the suspects as to who had hired the tanker and follow-up phonecalls did not pan out and the suspects were taken into custody.
Theywere due to appear in court on charges of fraud on Tuesday.
The vehicle, a tanker with trailer, was impounded.
Police investigations are continuing.
