1. RECOVERED: SMUGGLED GOODS DISCOVERED IN HIDDEN COMPARTMENT OF TRUCK

A shipment of imported goods, destined for one of South Africa’s neighbouring countries was seized by Tracetec and the police earlier this month. The goods (fitted with a Tracetec tracking and recovery system) were supposed to be delivered to market in the neighbouring country but the shipment did not arrive at the border post. Tracetec was alerted and the Tracetec tracking signal located near Bloemfontein in the Free State. 

The recovery team arrived on scene and discovered the tracking signal was coming from an Isuzu goods truck. On arrival of the SAPS Flying Squad, the vehicle was seized and escorted to a police station near Tierfontein. The cargo of boxes was unloaded from the truck but the tracking signal was still coming from inside the truck. On closer inspection (at the insistence of the Tracetec recovery agents) a well constructed hidden compartment was discovered at the front of the truck, just behind the driver’s cab. The fire department was called in to assist with the opening of the compartment and the goods in question were found in this compartment. The goods were being smuggled into the South African market.

The story above shows that Tracetec’s asset recovery solutions are flexible and can be tailormade to fit almost any type of asset and to meet any kind of requirement.

 

2. RECOVERED: VEHICLE RECOVERED AFTER BEING RESOLD

Tracetec assisted the SAPS in the uncovering of a possible vehicle theft syndicate this month, after the successful recovery of a Volvo XC70 in Yeoville Johannesburg. The vehicle was stolen from a house in Westcliff during a house robbery earlier this year. The vehicle was tagged by Tracetec a number of times in November on the M1 at the Riviera Rd offramp between 22h00 and 23h00. The vehicle had probably been hidden somewhere until this time. The Tracetec recovery team patrolled this area during the abovementioned times and soon located the vehicle.

The recovery team followed the stolen vehicle into Yeoville and called the SAPS for assistance. Members of the SAPS flying squad, Metro police and K9 unit quickly arrived on the scene and pulled the vehicle over. The police arrested five suspects for possession of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was fitted with false number plates and false registration papers. The chassis number had been tampered with.

According to the driver, his wife bought the vehicle in June from a private individual at the East Rand Mall, after responding to an advert for the vehicle in the Junk Mail. The suspects were detained following their arrest and the case was handed over to the SAPS for further investigation into a possible vehicle theft syndicate. This story serves as a warning to people wishing to buy a car privately.



3. RECOVERED: TOYOTA SIYAYA

A Toyota Siyaya taxi was recovered by Tracetec this month, for the second time. The unique aspect about this recovery is not that the vehicle was recovered twice, as this has happened a number of times in our history. On the first occasion the taxi was stolen from the driver’s house in Diepsloot and recovered in Germiston, shortly after it had been re-painted.

On the second occasion the taxi was again stolen from the driver’s house but quickly located in Soweto. The SAPS, who arrived on the scene with the Tracetec recovery team, were amazed to find the taxi in line for another coat of paint! Arrests were made and the police are investigating.