eThekwini metro police arrest six men linked to parts stolen from municipal vehicles

eThekwini metro police have arrested six men for allegedly being in possession of car parts stolen from municipal vehicles amid a crime wave of hijackings.

The arrests, which follow the recent recovery of a municipal Volkswagen in uMlazi, after a tip-off that led the metro police’s task team to a bushy area in Tafelkop where the men were found stripping and loading municipal vehicles parts to transport them.

Metro police spokesperson Boysie Zungu said the suspects were handed over to the nearest police station. 

eThekwini municipality said in a statement that the city is experiencing “a sharp rise in hijacking incidents involving municipal and contractor vehicles”.

“In the current financial year, it has lost no less than 95 vehicles, with the number rising daily. This has had a negative effect on service delivery, and with employees often left physically and psychologically scarred.” 

Known hotspots include Mayville, Folweni, uMlazi, KwaMashu, Inanda, Zwelibomvu, Hammersdale and KwaNdengezi.

eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said: “We applaud the metro police for this arrest given the alarming spike in municipal vehicle hijackings, which delays service delivery in communities and places the lives of employees at risk”.

He called on people to work with the city and law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book and to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or to phone 0800235338.