The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Tshwane Central Cluster wants to alert the community about the shameless ways criminals use to prey on victims of vehicle-related crimes. There is a person who impersonates a police officer by phoning victims whose vehicles were stolen.
He will inform them that the police recovered their vehicles. The owner of the vehicle is then requested to make a payment into an account, which is needed for the SAPS pound to release the vehicle or to get the vehicle back from another province.
After the payment is made the so-called “police officer” can no longer be traced and his phone number is no longer working. Sometimes the so-called “police officer” even asks for airtime, for him to phone the complainant back when all the arrangements have been finalized.
Several such cases of fraud were reported at police stations within the Tshwane Central Cluster (Brooklyn, Garsfontein, Lyttelton, Pretoria Moot, Villieria, Sunnyside and Silverton). The SAPS is busy with an investigation and are doing everything in their power to get to the bottom of this, especially to establish how the person obtained personal details of the complainants and their stolen vehicles.
In the latest incident, a 43-year-old Garsfontein man received a call from a person who alleged that he is investigating the theft of his motor vehicle. The vehicle was reported stolen in the Brooklyn policing precinct earlier this month.
The so-called investigating officer asked a few questions about the vehicle such as whether the vehicle was fitted with any tracking devices. The complainant was surprised because all that information was mentioned in his statement.
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The next day the alleged investigating officer phoned back with so-called good news that the vehicle was recovered in Limpopo. He asked the complainant to deposit an amount of R1 500-00 with e-wallet so that the vehicle can be brought back to Pretoria.
The vigilant vehicle owner suspected foul play and reported a fraud case at the Brooklyn police station for further information. When vehicles are recovered, the owner must go to the SAPS pound in person with personal documents and vehicle registration papers as proof.
No payments are required at police pounds or at police stations to get stolen vehicles back. The owner can also appoint an insurance company to collect the vehicle from the pound on their behalf if there are any damages to the vehicle.
Report any suspicious persons, vehicles (especially ones without number plates) or circumstances to the police immediately by phoning the 10111 emergency-number. Information with regards to crime can be given to the police anonymously by phoning Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or by sending an SMS to Crime Line at 32211.
Assist the Gauteng SAPS to fight fraud, corruption, unethical behaviour or any other suspicious activities that could be detrimental to our success by phoning the Gauteng Standby Provincial Duty numbers: Duty General 082 313 8299, Duty Brigadier 082 444 4354.
Written by: Captain Colette Weilbach
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