A female wanted for fraud and motor theft was arrested in an operation on Monday. She was arrested in an operation between Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), SAPS Detectives and Wesbank Forensic Division.
According to Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram, their operations centre received a call from detectives at SAPS in Verulam requesting support to observe and arrest a female fraudster and her accomplices.
It is said that the woman was wanted in multiple criminal cases in several provinces. Her modus operandi was to use fictitious documents and stolen identity cards and unlawfully and intentionally apply for finances at car dealerships. She would sign these documents and receive the release note. She would then produce this note and drive off in brand new vehicles. The vehicles were later removed from the NATIS System and were never recovered. The woman was also wanted after she drove off from a KZN car dealership in a brand new Ford Ranger Double Cab valued at R600 000.
He said their officers and detectives kept observation and noticed the woman using a Bolt service vehicle to enter a dealership in Mount Edgecombe to sign and pick up a new bakkie. She then signed the documents using a fake identity card that she produced to the finance office. Officers entered the building and arrested her. Fictitious documents were found in her possession, Balram said.
“During an interview, the woman informed officers that she resided in Gauteng. She explained that she worked for a Specialised Police Unit in Johannesburg & was acting on their instructions to assist in apprehending fraud suspects. She provided names of Police Officers in Gauteng who had sent her to collect these vehicles. It was established that the names provided did not exist. The woman was restrained & taken into custody,” Balram said.
The Mercury