Durban — The R500 000 worth of Futurelife cereal that was looted and the truck transporting it was set alight in Verulam was recovered by a private security company and the police in Pietermaritzburg.
In a statement, Magma Security & Investigations said that on Wednesday, December 21, at approximately 9pm, members from Magma Security & Investigations received information of suspected stolen property hidden in the Pelham area.
It said that an operational team consisting of Magma Security & Investigations and Pietermaritzburg Trio Crime was put in place and proceeded to the said address.
“On arrival at the property, members recovered a consignment of boxes of Futurelife products,” Magma said.
The company said that it was established that the boxes were taken during a hijacking in the Verulam area on Tuesday, December 20, where two trailers were burnt.
“During a further search of the property, various toiletries, suspected to be stolen, were also found.
“One foreign national was arrested for being in possession of the stolen property and was taken to Alexandra SAPS and detained, with the exhibits handed into Alexandra Road,” Magma concluded.
Police have been approached for comment.
Last week, it was alleged that R500 000 worth of cereal was looted and the truck transporting it was set alight on Tuesday morning.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram alleged that the Futurelife cereal was looted and a trailer set alight on Station Road in Canelands, Verulam.
Balram said that a Rusa member was on patrol in the area at about 4.52am when he noticed a trailer on fire. The reaction officer called for further assistance.
He said that firefighters from the eThekwini Fire Department arrived shortly after that and extinguished the blaze.
“Upon further investigation, Rusa members confirmed that the trailer was loaded with Futurelife, which was destined for a distribution centre,” Balram said.
He said that officers canvassed the area and interviewed residents.
One individual stated that the driver was seen consuming alcohol in the informal area. He allegedly advised residents that he was despondent towards his employer, who is a subcontractor for a logistics company. He then allegedly unhitched the trailer and drove off in the truck. Residents then looted the goods before setting the trailer alight, Balram said.
A second individual stated that the driver accidentally turned into the wrong road, where he was confronted by a group of men who threatened to shoot him if he did not unhitch the trailer. The man allegedly complied and drove off. Neither version could be verified, he said.
“While attending to the scene, information was received that the Volvo truck was on Ireland Street in the Verulam CBD. Reaction officers converged on the area and recovered the truck abandoned outside a service station,” Balram said.
The driver could not be located and was unreachable on his cellphone.
Daily News