A Cape Town man is furious after his BMW was hijacked, recovered, and stolen again – from a police station – all on the same night. The car was badly damaged during the second theft and he wants the department of safety and security to pay for the repair costs.
A Cape Town man is furious after his BMW was hijacked, recovered, and stolen again – from a police station – all on the same night. The car was badly damaged during the second theft and he wants the department of safety and security to pay for the repair costs.
According to the , Luphumzo Kebeni, a parliamentary official, was hijacked in Langa on Friday night after stopping to buy cigarettes at a shop. A passing motorist gave Kebeni and his friend a lift to Langa police station. The police recovered the vehicle that evening and told Kebeni that his cellphone, CD shuttle and nine CDs were missing and the boot lining had been torn, but otherwise the car was fine.
Kebeni told the newspaper that the police said he could not take the vehicle immediately as they had to check it for fingerprints. The police assured him the vehicle would be safe parked outside the charge office where the night staff had a clear view of the car.
But it seems it was not safe. The car was stolen for a second time that evening. Police spokesman Nina Kirsten said he believed the hijackers spotted the BMW at the police station, pushed it out of the yard and started it with the keys they had taken earlier.
It was recovered for a second time, but this time it was badly damaged. It is believed the front end of the car was smashed. “I don’t know the extend of the damage because I couldn’t get in to see the car in Brackenfell where it had been taken. This is pure negligence. I got it back and everything was fine, and now it’s smashed up. I was praising those guys on Friday night and now look at the mess,” he said.
Kebeni said he planned to lay a charge with the Independent Complaints Commission and the department of safety and security should pay for the damage to his vehicle.
