Police members arrested a 51-year-old man for two counts of theft and possession of suspected stolen after he withdrew two amounts of R 3 000 from different ATMs in Uitenhage and Despatch.
Two police Sergeants from Despatch, Bruce Brits and Christine De Wet heeded a message circulated via radio control for police patrol vans to be on the look-out for a man wearing a jacket from a private security company driving a silver Mercedes Benz without registration plates, who allegedly stole money from a man, who was withdrawing cash at the ATM near a vehicle manufacturing plant in Algoa Road, Uitenhage.
Moments later, the two alert members spotted a vehicle matching the description in Main Street, Despatch. They stopped the vehicle and on searching the driver and vehicle, police seized R7 390 cash and a jacket from a private security company.
While members were still busy with this case, radio control reported a second complaint of a similar nature involving theft of cash at the ATM at Rabbi Street, Despatch. Moments later the two complainants identified the driver as the person whom they alleged to have stolen their money.
The suspect was arrested after he could not give a satisfactory account about the cash in his possession. The suspect is due to appear at the Uitenhage Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 18 December 2018 on charges of theft and possession of suspected stolen property. Police are warning bank clients to be vigilant and also not to accept offers from strangers to assist with ATM transactions. Any suspicious person roaming around ATM must be reported to 10111 or 112.