The litany of allegations pertaining to an alleged transnational motorcycle theft syndicate based in Mozambique, has yet to be addressed by the police.
When Roodepoort Police Station was asked to address the issues, their response was unsatisfactory and evasive, and seemed to have created animosity. The Record then turned to the police’s Provincial Media Centre and sent them the same email last Friday that was sent to Roodepoort Police Station. By yesterday (21 September) they have yet to reply and a follow-up email was also ignored. In a last-ditch attempt today to get a response from the police the same email was sent to one of the provincial spokespersons, Lieutenant Kay Makhubela. He has been informed that an email would be sent to him and it remains to be seen if this attempt will be fruitful.
Allegations include that police officers might be involved in the syndicate and that the police are not investigating any of the motorcycle thefts or the possibility that a syndicate might exist – regardless of the fact that as far back as 2011 reports had been circulating that motorcycles were being stolen and then taken to Mozambique.
A member of Crime Intelligence did contact the Record but she was reluctant to give any details. She showed the Record a file which, according to her, was on the syndicate but said she needed a strong lead to investigate the alleged syndicate. A Crime Intelligence informant then put the Record into contact with his handler from Crime Intelligence, but although the conversation was interesting the Record is still none the wiser as to what is being done by the police and its various structures. When asked whether the two countries could launch a joint operation to crush the syndicate, he said that unfortunately, although it is possible, there are corrupt police members on every level in both countries’ police forces. He said if they could not have principled police officers on both teams, the corrupt officers will just tip-off the syndicate members and most likely the kingpin (whose name is known to the Record) himself. He also said he would investigate should he get a strong lead.
Read more here:
Video: Motorcycle thiefs caught on camera
Motorcycle thiefs on the prowl
Thieves take three motorcycles and trailer
