Three truck drivers have been arrested after being found siphoning diesel from their company trucks in Hazelmere, north of Durban on Friday afternoon.
Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) pounced on the unsuspecting thieving truck drivers at an isolated place in Hazelmere. They recovered 200 litres of diesel and a bakkie used in the commission of the crime.
RUSA spokesperson, Pram Balram said that RUSA officers patrolling the area requested additional backup at approximately 15:43 after they noticed three (3) men siphoning fuel from three Mercedes Benz tip trucks that were parked in an isolated area in Hazelmere – KZN.
They observed the drivers loading 25-litre drums into a white Isuzu bakkie.
Upon noticing the approaching RUSA members, the drivers attempted to escape on foot. While two suspects were apprehended during the pursuit, the owner of the Isuzu bakkie managed to flee and remains at large.
Read | Presiding officer in a R6 million Durban diesel theft case shot dead during a smoke break
During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the suspects had been involved in regular fuel theft since January 2023.
In an interview with the Reaction Officers, one of the drivers confessed that they had been stealing diesel on a weekly basis.
Furthermore, the suspects claimed that the owner of the Isuzu bakkie had recruited multiple drivers from various companies to supply him with stolen diesel.
The recruited drivers were allegedly paid R300 per 25-litre drum of stolen fuel.
All the suspects and seized evidence were handed over to the Verulam South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation and legal proceedings.
