Police in the Northern Cape have arrested a suspect whose modus operandi appears to be stealing parts off cars while his victims are in church.
Police said the suspect is a former policeman and was arrested on Sunday morning while trying to steal wheels from an Opel Corsa outside a church in Fabricia‚ Kimberley.
Following up on information‚ the police were also able to retrieve three mag wheels that were stolen from a Corsa bakkie outside a church in Carters Glen the week before. According to police spokesman Sergio Kock‚ the 37-year-old suspect could not get the final mag wheel off because “it was secured with a lock nut”.
Both incidents are believed to be related.
Kock said the police also confiscated several vehicle jacks‚ spanners and a South African Police Service uniform from the man’s VW Polo‚ which was also used in other criminal activities.
“The Kimberley neighbourhood watch pounced on the suspect and immediately contacted the SAPS Flying Squad for assistance‚” said Kock.
“The owner of the vehicle was in church and his vehicle was parked in front of the venue at the time of the incident.”
Police are also investigating a separate charge of theft of a vehicle in relation to the VW Polo‚ and the suspect is due to appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.