Four people in the Northern Cape, including a policeman, have been arrested after a theft ring, involving cars worth R10 million, was uncovered.
Four people in the Northern Cape, including a policeman, have been charged with theft and fraud after a car theft ring was uncovered.
The group, based in Hopetown, had been running a car scam involving luxury vehicles worth R10 million. The vehicles were allegedly smuggled in from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
According to SABC news, unsuspecting farmers around the Hopetown area, allegedly fell for the scam and bought these vehicles at under-marked prices from a local car dealer. The arrested officer had ensured that the stolen cars had police clearance. Police say 35 of the confiscated vehicles were handed back to the lawful owners, and 16 others are still at the Custom Services offices in Pretoria.
The four suspects handed themselves over for arrest in Kimberley on Tuesday.
They later appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court and were formally charged with 51 counts of fraud and 51 of theft. Pieter Coetzee and his wife, Lourine were each released on a R5 000 bail, while Samiri Cilliers and police inspector Stuurman Goeiman were given bail of R1 000 each. They will appear in court again on May 30.
