Ria Sebetsa works diligently with Midrand police to arrest suspect
Danny Maduray emphasises the need for collaborative efforts with other law enforcement agencies in reducing these crimes.
The amount of petrol drive-offs has dropped dramatically in recent years, thanks to increased video monitoring and the implementation of pre-payment at many convenience stores and service stations.
However, according to Danny Maduray, CEO of Ria Sebetsa, the possibility of high-speed escapes remains a severe concern in Midrand.
This comes after the local security firm worked diligently with Midrand police and surveillance cameras to catch a male suspect on September 26. They had been looking for him following a petrol theft incident he committed at a local filling station on the Bekker and Leroux routes.
On September 18, the suspect came to the petrol station and, after filling up his car, drove away without paying.
The car, however, was loaded onto the Ria Sebetsa video system, and they were able to track the car.
“We loaded the registration number using the infrastructure of cameras we have around Midrand. We picked it up on September 26 and then pursued it. The driver was taken aback by how we found out about it,” explained Maduray.
“He was giving us some contemplation time, and when the cops arrived, we decided to take him back to the filling station so management could confirm before he was detained.”
Maduray believes that the high cost of living and load-shedding are some of the causes of these illicit activities as there is also an increase in criminals unlawfully syphoning petrol, particularly in complexes.
“If you live in a complex and do not have a closed garage, you park your car outside, and when the criminals arrive, they make an incision in the petrol tank and drain the petrol. This has been going on for a while and will continue as fuel costs climb.”
He emphasised the need for collaborative efforts with other law enforcement agencies in reducing these crimes.
The Midrand Reporter requested information from district police spokesperson Captain Jeff Phora, on September 28 and several times since, to confirm if the suspect was indeed detained and when he would appear in court.
Despite several follow-up attempts, Phora had not responded by the time the paper went to print.
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