Ford Ranger thief gets 19 years in jail for stealing 6 Zim-bound bakkies from dealership
A 36-year-old man was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment for stealing six Ford Ranger bakkies in Limpopo.
The vehicles were intercepted from crossing the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe.
Tsununu Ahmad Maphosa was convicted and sentenced in the Musina Regional Court on Wednesday for burglary at business premises and theft of motor vehicles.
According to Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke, in the early hours of December 9 in 2017, Maphosa, together with his co-accused, broke into a Ford vehicle dealership and stole six Ford vehicles – two Ford Everest and four Ford Ranger to the value of R3 235 000.
“The matter was immediately reported to the police and a case was opened and referred to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further probe. An intensive investigation was conducted and it resulted in the recovery of five of the six stolen motor vehicles in Masisi area near the Limpopo River on the very same day they were reported stolen.
“The vehicles were intercepted from crossing the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe and all the drivers ran away. Through the assistance of law-abiding citizens, Maphosa was arrested in the area while attempting to flee,” Maluleke said in a statement.
He said the Hawks’ continuous investigation resulted in the arrest of another man, Raymond Sibusiso Tshabalala, in Gauteng. Tshabalala was believed to be the mastermind behind the vehicle theft syndicate.
Maphosa, who has been in custody, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for housebreaking at business premises and 15 imprisonments for theft of motor vehicles.
“Two years in count one are ordered to run concurrently with 15 years in count two. The accused will serve an effective 17 years in jail. The accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of the Firearm Control Act.
“The other accused, Tshabalala, is still at large after he was released on bail and the warrant of arrest was authorized against him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts may contact Captain Makhani on 082 565 7842 or the nearest police station,” he said.
-IOL
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