Motorcycle theft syndicate: Florida Police responds to investigation
Discovery seems to be a problem area.
In its ongoing investigation into an alleged transnational motorcycle theft syndicate, in which certain individuals in the Police Service allegedly are involved, the Record has been battling to get information from police stations.
Thus far Florida Police Station has been the most forthcoming although the information is very skimpy. The station’s spokesperson Captain Lydia Dikolomelo was kind enough to supply a ballpark figure as to the number of motorcycle thefts in their precinct.
From June to August an average of four motorcycles a month were stolen, she said. All of them are expensive models and nearly half of them are BMWs. It also seemed that Discovery was the most targeted area. She went on to say that the station is not aware of a syndicate operating in the area and that no complaint has been laid against any of their members for alleged involvement in such a syndicate.
The Record has been struggling to obtain statistics as to the number of motorcycle thefts on the West Rand. The first port of call was the police’s Provincial structure but spokesperson Colonel Kay Makhabula said only the Minister of Police is allowed to give out statistics. Unfortunately the annual crime statistics released recently, group motorcycle thefts and vehicle thefts together. The Record also approached Stats SA, the South African Insurance Association (Saia) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) but to no avail. In a final desperate yet unsuccessful attempt the Record even approached the motorcycle magazine Bike SA.
The Record has now asked the various Community Policing Forums (CPFs) in the area to help provide statistics.
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