GAUTENG police have denied allegations by a traffic officer that the Douglasdale Police Station in Joburg refused to book in and process stolen goods that were recovered.
This comes after a viral video footage of the frustrated traffic officer made rounds on social media.
He claimed he and his colleagues had arrested five suspects for theft and had seized the exhibit but were denied access to SAP13 to book the matter.
Such a reaction from the station caused the traffic officer to blast the cop shop for failing to account for crime in the area.
“Now I understand why police can't fight crime, and people don’t respect the police. It's this behaviour. All of this is happening while we have five suspects and a truck loaded with the exhibit.
“The station commander told his people to tell us that we must take out things and leave and that who gave us permission to come and work at this area,” said the traffic officer.
General Fanie Masemola, please intervene @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/uyuHKHsET7
— PATRICIA MASHALE (@PATRICIAMASHAL3) January 14, 2024
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The officer claimed they had been standing outside the police station for more than four hours with no assistance as the documents belonged to "the station commander and his people".
“This is why people don’t fight crime, this is why people don’t respect the police. They don’t respect the law, but call themselves upholders of the law,” he said.
Reacting to the viral footage, Gauteng police spokeswoman Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi argued that this was not what happened and dismissed all allegations.
“It should be brought into context that the station was not refusing to book the goods but rather advising that the goods be returned to the lawful owner through SAP 299 since the owner had already been identified," she said.
"This procedure is lawful and part of exhibit management. The matter has since been handled as such."
Nevhuhulwi confirmed that there have been arrests in the matter, and one suspect is expected to appear in court on Monday, 15 January.
“Four suspects have been arrested. Three are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on a charge of truck hijacking, while the one is expected to appear before the Randburg Magistrates Court on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property on Monday, 15 January," said Nevhuhulwi.
She said the police commissioner in Gauteng, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela, always advocates for a multi-disciplinary integrated policing approach.
“Gauteng police always welcome assistance from other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders who avail themselves to fight against crime,” said Nevhuhulwi.
