A suspect is in police custody after he was found in possession of liquor stolen when a truck was hijacked on Thursday afternoon.
The truck transporting liquor from Paarl to Table Bay Harbour for exportation was hijacked after it broke down.
“It is alleged that the driver was hijacked by suspects during a mechanical breakdown en route to the harbour,” Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said on Sunday.
“The truck and trailer were both later recovered in Mitchells Plain without the cargo.”
Investigations led to the arrest of a male suspect in his thirties on Saturday.
“The investigation is still underway and the finer aspects of the case cannot be disclosed at this stage,” Traut added.
Alcohol-related crimes are on the rise in the Western Cape since the start of a nationwide lockdown and ban on liquor sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier on Sunday, the police confirmed 21 suspects have been arrested following 16 incidents of alleged looting in the Western Cape since the start of the lockdown.
Two police officers were also arrested for allegedly buying alcohol.
“The general crime picture since the COVID-19 lockdown continues to reflect a decrease and such incidents must, therefore, be intercepted and the perpetrators arrested,” Police Minister Bheki Cele said in a statement.
“Our law-abiding citizens must continue to work with law enforcement against criminals as we together can ensure the survival of the human race against COVID-19.” News24
