Informal settlement an open-air chop shop for stolen cars

A Cape Town informal settlement has become an open-air chop shop for stolen cars.

Three stripped vehicles were found on Thursday in Brown’s Farm‚ Philippi‚ bringing the total recovered in the area in the last two months to 10.

The day began for a team of metro cops when they found a stripped Ford Laser next to a canal at 7.20am. It was reported stolen earlier this month in Milnerton.

“After the Laser was towed away‚ officers continued with their patrols and came across a 19-year-old male stripping a vehicle‚” said a City of Cape Town spokesman.

“He was arrested and detained at Langa SAPS. Further patrols led to the recovery of another vehicle between dwellings in the area. We are still awaiting confirmation on where the Mazda Astina and Toyota Tazz originated from.”

In May‚ the metro cops recovered a white Kia bakkie and a gold Toyota Tazz in the same place the Laser was dumped‚ said the spokesman.

“Both vehicles had been stripped and their parts removed. An investigation revealed that both vehicles had been reported stolen in the Milnerton/Table View area.”