100 municipal vehicles hijacked since 2022: sting operation uncovers crime den
Recovery
The municipal vehicle that was recovered by the Durban Metro after it was hijacked a couple of weeks ago.
Image: eThekwini Municipality / Facebook
DURBAN Metro Police have successfully recovered a hijacked municipal Toyota Etios during a coordinated operation that also led to the discovery of three additional vehicles, firearms, signal jammers, and other evidence of vehicle theft.
This recovery comes as eThekwini Municipality reveals that over 100 municipal vehicles had been hijacked since July 2022.
The eThekwini Metro Police Highway Division recovered the vehicles after acting on information from the public. The vehicle had been hijacked several weeks ago in uMbumbulu.
Metro Police officers traced the vehicle to a house in Folweni.
According to the eThekwini Municipality, police officers from Folweni also joined the operation to provide support.
A search of property was conducted, which led to the recovery of three other vehicles.
During the operation, police also recovered significant evidence, including three firearms, three signal jammers, a stock of logbook copies and various vehicle parts.
eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana said no arrests were made during the operation.
“No suspects were found at the house. A case has been opened with Folweni SAPS for further investigation,” Sisilana said.
Firearms and signal jammer equipment found at the house where the hijacked vehicle was.
Image: eThekwini Municipality / Facebook
The municipality revealed that more than 100 municipal vehicles had been hijacked since July 2022.
It said crimes targeting council-owned vehicles directly affected service delivery and ultimately harmed communities.
It further noted that information provided by members of the public had previously yielded positive results, including cases where suspects were arrested while in possession of municipal vehicle parts.
Residents are once again urged to continue reporting suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies, as community cooperation remains key in the fight against crime.