SOME smart observation and quick action let to the citizens’ arrest of a suspected car thief in Mandeni on Saturday.
The relative of a white Golf that had been stolen on 12 January during a house robbery in Brackenham spotted the car at around 1pm.
Although the vehicle carried false plates and licence, it was easily identified by stickers and by the fact that it had three mag wheels and one odd wheel.
The man contacted off-duty Tracker Operational Manager Wynand Swart, who although off duty was coincidentally in the vicinity with Meerensee CPF Exco member Christie Strydom.
Together they approached the occupant in the stolen vehicle, who co-operated and did not resist arrest.
The man, named as Khanyile Mkhwanazi, produced identification showing that he was a member of the Mandeni Traffic Department.
However, it was ascertained that he had been among a number of traffic officials suspended after cases of corruption had been opened at Mandeni in 2011.
This after a two-year investigation led to the arrest of 10 officials of the Mandeni licence testing centre.
By 2013 the number of suspects swelled to 20, collectively facing 207 charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering.
The crimes were allegedly carried out between 2008 and 2010.
Saturday’s suspect was taken to the Mandeni police station where he was placed under arrest.
