By Buziwe Nocuze
- Four suspects were caught in Muizenberg with tools used to break into cars and stolen goods.
- Criminals use special remotes to stop cars from locking properly so they can steal from them.
Traffic officers arrested four people in Muizenberg who were found in possession of remote controls used to stop cars from locking, enabling them to steal from the vehicles.
The suspects, aged between 25 and 33, were caught with car-breaking tools, fake number plates, and items stolen in the Kirstenhof area.
Police also discovered that the suspects were wanted for crimes in other places, including Gqeberha.
Cape Town’s safety boss, JP Smith, said traffic officers do more than just catch drunk drivers and speedsters.
“It appears that they have been engaging in criminal acts in at least one other province. I hope that the investigators can piece together all of their alleged misdeeds and that they are appropriately punished,” said Smith.
He warned that criminals are becoming more adept at jamming car remotes to prevent vehicles from locking.
“I want to appeal to motorists and their passengers to double-check that their doors and boot are locked to minimise the risk of falling victim to this type of crime,” said Smith.
Zingiswa Matu, 40, almost fell victim to such criminals at Somerset Mall.
“I always read about these things, and I use every trick I get to make sure that I am safe. I lock my car and always make sure that I check if it does lock. One time in Somerset Mall, my sister locked my car, but something said to me I must check if it was locked. To my surprise, it was not, and I knew that some people were using a remote to jam my car,” said Matu.
She warns drivers to check that their cars are properly locked, especially at shopping malls where these criminals operate.
Pictured above: Traffic officers arrested suspects for possession of stolen property, possession of car-breaking implements, fraud, remote jamming, and theft of a motor vehicle.
Source: Supplied
