Sixteen people, including the owner of a tyre fitment centre, his wife, son, and taxi drivers, were apprehended by the police on Sunday afternoon in New Germany, Pinetown.
The arrests were made after the suspects were caught red-handed, loading tyres suspected to be stolen onto a truck within the tyre fitment centre on Roger Sishi Road.
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the police spokesperson, revealed that the investigation began when reports surfaced about a truck that had been allegedly hijacked under mysterious circumstances in Umbilo on July 15, 2023.
Within an hour, the authorities were able to locate the truck in Springfield, but it was found empty.
Using intelligence, the police tracked down the tyre fitment center in New Germany, where the suspects were in the process of loading the suspected stolen tyres onto another truck.
Read | Cops pounce on suspect in viral Durban hijacking video
The initial findings indicate that the hijacked truck had made a stop at the tyre fitment centre to unload the tyres before being abandoned in Springfield.
Interestingly, an off-duty police officer was also taken into custody as he was found at the scene of the crime. Authorities are currently investigating his presence within the premises, and his vehicle has been impounded for further examination.
Pinetown tyre fitment business owner nabbed for truck hijacking and tyre thefthttps://t.co/ahyziB7DhM pic.twitter.com/9y7GWKqMke
— SA Trucker (@rsa_trucker) July 19, 2023
