WATCH: Traffic cop accuses police station of refusing to process stolen goods, SAPS says ‘procedure is lawful’

A traffic officer has accused the Douglasdale Police Station in Johannesburg of refusing to book in recovered goods. However, the South African Police Service says the police station followed the correct procedures.

In a video shared on Sunday, the visibly frustrated traffic officer claims that he and his colleagues arrested five suspects for theft, and took the exhibit and suspects to the police station, where he was refused permission to book in the exhibit.

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“This is why police cannot fight crime. Now I understand why people don’t respect the police, it is because of this behaviour. Everything is happening, we have five suspects and the truck loaded with the stock,” he said.

Watch the video of the traffic officer below:

“We stood here for more than four hours, while all the police were told not to give us any documents because they belong to the station commander and his people.

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“This is why people don’t fight crime, this is why people don’t respect the police. They don’t respect the law, but call themselves upholders of the law.”

SAPS responds to traffic officer

However, the Gauteng police management said it was disappointed with how the traffic officer handled the matter, saying the police station did not refuse to book the goods.

“It should be brought into context that the station was not refusing to book the goods but rather advising that the goods be returned to the lawful owner through SAP 299 since the owner had already been identified. This procedure is lawful and part of exhibit management. The matter has since been handled as such,” said Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.

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Four suspects have since been arrested, with three expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of truck hijacking.

The other suspect is expected to appear before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property on Monday.

“The Provincial Commissioner of the Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela always advocates for multi-disciplinary integrated policing approach. Gauteng police always welcomes assistance from other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders who avail themselves to fight against crime,” said Nevhuhulwi.

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