Eastern Cape police arrested a suspect and recovered a hijacked truck and 25 tonnes of copper cables stolen from the truck in Gqeberha on Thursday, all within two hours of the hijacking.
“It is alleged that at about 14:00 the complainant (30) was driving a truck with two trailers transporting copper wire and as he turned into John Tallant Road in Deal Party, he was blocked off by a white bakkie,”
“Approximately five males approached the truck and he was pointed with firearms. He was assaulted and pushed into the back of the truck and thereafter dropped off in an unknown location,” said police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu.
She added that the NMB District Crime Combatting Unit (CCU) members received and followed up on information about the movement of the truck around 16h00.
“The truck excluding its load was found abandoned in Mahambehlala Street in Kwazakele,”
“While on the scene, Public Order Policing (POP) received information about the possible place where the copper was off loaded.
“Immediately, POP and CCU members went to the premises in Burman Road in Deal Party. They recovered 27 pallets of copper, weighing 25 tons, a jammer and a forklift. The value of the copper is about R3 million,” added Naidu.
The person (36) who rented the property was also arrested and detained on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property. His vehicle, a Jeep was also confiscated.
The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be added as the investigation unfolds.
The suspect is expected to appear in court soon.
