Crumbs of truth: Bread truck crew caught lying about hijacking

The Eastern Cape police proved that they weren’t born “yeast-erday” after three employees from a bread company in Sterkspruit were caught lying about being hijacked on Saturday.

The trio have been charged with perjury.

SA Police Service (Saps) spokesperson Captain Ursula Roelofse said on Saturday at around 4pm, the driver of the bread truck reported to the Sterkspruit Saps that he and his two crew members were stopped by five suspects in a white Ford bakkie in Herschel.

“They managed to run away, and when they returned, they found the safe and the money missing. They then drove to the police station to report the incident,” Roelofse said.

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Money hidden among crates

However, during the preliminary investigations, the police searched the truck and found money hidden among the crates of bread.

“The trio failed to provide a reasonable explanation about the hidden cash, and the three men, aged 29, 38, and 40 years old, were arrested on charges of theft and perjury,” she added.

The Joe Gqabi acting district commissioner, Colonel Xolani Dyasopu, applauded the arrests of the suspects.

“These three employees were entrusted with the safety and integrity of their company’s assets, yet they chose to betray that trust for personal gain. However, their actions were not without repercussions, as careful investigation led to their apprehension,” Dyasopu said.

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“By holding individuals accountable for their deceitful actions, we send a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”

The employees are expected to appear in the Sterkspruit Magistrate’s Court this week.

False case of hijacking

In June 2023, a Gauteng man was arrested for perjury after he opened a false case of hijacking in Springs.

The man allegedly reported that two armed Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers allegedly hijacked him off his work truck that was loaded with copper.

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“As investigations progressed, it was established that the man was never hijacked but rather colluded with another known suspect who is not yet arrested to steal from the company,” Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said.