A 44-year-old man was arrested in Walkerville, Vaal Triangle by SAPS Sedibeng region after the discovery of a cloned police vehicle and other illegal items.
The arrest follows an intelligence-driven operation led by the Johannesburg Crime Intelligence and the Soweto K9 unit. During the operation, law enforcement officers recovered a range of alarming items, including a VW Golf marked with cloned police registration number plates and police call signs. Additionally, they found a white VW Polo equipped with blue lights and sirens, as well as a stolen R5 rifle, police reflector jackets, and several SAPS number plates.
Authorities suspect that the recovered vehicles were used in a series of crimes, including truck hijackings and courier vehicle robberies across Gauteng. The suspect faces charges of possessing stolen property and illegally using police insignia.
The arrest has raised concerns among community members about police vehicles being cloned to commit serious crimes, but the SAPS has assured its commitment to following trail of such activities and uncover the full extent of the criminal network and bring to justice those perpetrators involved to ensure the safety of the public.
