The determination of police in the Western Cape has resulted in the recovery of a stolen consignment of cigarettes and alcohol worth R1.7 million.
The consignment was recovered on Thursday, nearly 40 kilometres from where it was hijacked.
The provincial police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said the consignment was hijacked more than a week ago in Klapmuts, in the Cape Winelands.
“Reports suggested that police members responded to a hijacking in Klapmuts more than a week ago. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident confirmed that the delivery vehicle was driven to an unknown location.
“The gathering of intelligence regarding the possible escape routes and suspicious warehouses led the integrated crime combating team to a storage facility in Burgundy Estate. At this facility, the police members discovered a huge consignment of alcohol and cigarettes.
“The adult male at the warehouse, a foreign national could not provide the proof of purchase and was subsequently arrested for the mentioned property,” Swartbooi said.
Klapmuts is 39.2 kilometres away from Burgundy Estate in Cape Town.
The suspect, a 52-year-old man, faces a charges of possession of presumed stolen property.
He is expected to make his first court appearance in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on the charges on Monday, June 10.
Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile commended the unrelenting efforts of all police officers involved in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to book.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL