Father and son arrested as police uncover chop-shop in Crystal Park

An integrated intelligence-driven operation on Friday afternoon 25 September 2020, saw a multi-disciplinary team pounce on a chop-shop in Crystal Park, Ekurhuleni where parts of different reported stolen and hijacked vehicles were found.

Operationalising information obtained by Johannesburg East Crime Intelligence, members of the SAPS collaborated with the Saturation Unit of Gauteng Traffic Police, Tracker Connect, private security and the Insurance

Crime Bureau and, on arrival found one employee driving a Toyota Hilux carrying two engines that have been tampered with. The van was immediately profiled and confirmed as a vehicle that was stolen and reported at Honeydew SAPS in June 2018.

The team proceeded to the workshop and found 11 more vehicles that were stripped off their parts. The vehicle models ranged from Toyota Hilux, Isuzu to Ford Rangers and have since been confirmed as either stolen or hijacked as per cases reported at Garsfontein, Germiston, Randburg, Langlaagte, Lyttleton, Roodepoort and Zonkeizizwe between 2018 and 2020.

Police arrested the 65-year old owner of the business together with his 40-year old son, and the 43-year old employee. The three are expected to appear before the Benoni Magistrate Court on Monday 28 September 2020 on a charge of possession of stolen vehicles.