By Karabo Rammutla
A thief stole a marked Tshwane Metro Police car and drove off towards Verena on Monday.
Fortunately, the stolen cop car was tracked and the suspect was caught thanks to the vigilance of a resident in the area.
Acting promptly, the resident informed the police after spotting the vehicle travelling along the R25 heading towards Verena, which is located on the border of Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
Law enforcement swiftly traced the car to the vicinity and successfully recovered it.
Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba, spokesperson for the Tshwane Metro Police, said the theft took place while officers from the Tshwane Metro Police Department were responding to a complaint made by a resident in Bronkhorstspruit.
He said at about 7.30 pm on Monday officers went to a complainant’s house.
“They entered the premises to assist the caller and left the vehicle outside,” said Mahamba.
“To their astonishment, when they got back to their duty post, their vehicle was nowhere to be found. Despite searching the surrounding area, the officers were unable to locate the stolen vehicle.”
The suspect abandoned the stolen vehicle and attempted to flee when he realised the police were closing in. He was caught and taken into custody.
Mahamba confirmed that the suspect is scheduled to make his initial court appearance later this week.
Pictured above: A brazen thug stole and drove off with a Tshwane Metro Police vehicle
Image source: Supplied
