A mechanic has been arrested after he stole almost 400 litres of diesel worth about R10,000 from a City of Ekurhuleni waste truck which he had been fixing.
Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa said they received information about a video footage and photos circulating on social media showing their waste truck being drained of diesel outside a house.
Thepa said EMPD officers then established that the truck on the videos was the one which had been booked for repairs by a mechanic in Benoni.
“The service provider… had called the foreman of the Brakpan workshop to request diesel for the truck. The suspect alleged that the truck was repaired and awaiting delivery to Kempton Park, however, did not have sufficient fuel to reach its’ destination. The officers proceeded to the fuel depot in Brakpan and upon checking the diesel log sheet from the petrol attendant it found that the truck poured 221 litres of diesel on Monday 17 October,” Thepa said.
She said EMPD community liaison unit members investigated and found that the truck went to fill up again where 177 litres of diesel was poured into the truck the next day. Officers searched for the truck and spotted it at a Benoni workshop.
“It is alleged that the suspect took the truck to his house on McMillan Street to drain the diesel that was poured over the two days. The suspect, who was arrested at his home, alleges that he only drained 50 litres of diesel. When asked about the person who was in the video with him, the suspect claims he does not know the person’s whereabouts, alleging he only knows the person is from Tsakane,” Thepa said.
He was arrested on Tuesday and charged with theft and will appear in the Brakpan magistrate’s court soon.
dlaminip@sowetan.co.za
Video exposes mechanic 'stealing' diesel worth R10,000 from municipal truck
State vehicle was booked for repairs with service provider
Image: City of Cape Town
A mechanic has been arrested after he stole almost 400 litres of diesel worth about R10,000 from a City of Ekurhuleni waste truck which he had been fixing.
Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa said they received information about a video footage and photos circulating on social media showing their waste truck being drained of diesel outside a house.
Thepa said EMPD officers then established that the truck on the videos was the one which had been booked for repairs by a mechanic in Benoni.
“The service provider… had called the foreman of the Brakpan workshop to request diesel for the truck. The suspect alleged that the truck was repaired and awaiting delivery to Kempton Park, however, did not have sufficient fuel to reach its’ destination. The officers proceeded to the fuel depot in Brakpan and upon checking the diesel log sheet from the petrol attendant it found that the truck poured 221 litres of diesel on Monday 17 October,” Thepa said.
She said EMPD community liaison unit members investigated and found that the truck went to fill up again where 177 litres of diesel was poured into the truck the next day. Officers searched for the truck and spotted it at a Benoni workshop.
“It is alleged that the suspect took the truck to his house on McMillan Street to drain the diesel that was poured over the two days. The suspect, who was arrested at his home, alleges that he only drained 50 litres of diesel. When asked about the person who was in the video with him, the suspect claims he does not know the person’s whereabouts, alleging he only knows the person is from Tsakane,” Thepa said.
He was arrested on Tuesday and charged with theft and will appear in the Brakpan magistrate’s court soon.
dlaminip@sowetan.co.za
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