A man who allegedly posed as a police officer with a stolen uniform has been arrested after being reported for allegedly targeting travellers at a Mpumalanga border post.
The 34-year-old was wearing a woman's police shirt and man's trousers without the police belt or cap.
When he was being booked on charges at the police station, a woman police officer identified him as the person she had hired to install ceilings at her house between February and March, said police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala.
“Through the investigation, it was discovered that during the period he was hired by the member he allegedly stole her police uniform [shirts]. The investigation is continuing in an effort to find out where he got the other items of the uniform.”
The man had used the items to impersonate a policeman at the Jeppes Reef border post near Tonga.
“It is alleged the man was demanding items from his victims at the border while pretending to be a police sergeant,” said Mohlala. This was reported by a concerned citizen and led to his arrest.
The suspect, who faces charges of impersonating a police officer and theft, appeared briefly in the Nkomazi magistrate’s court on Thursday. He was remanded pending a bail application on April 12.
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Man hired to work on ceiling at cop's house 'steals her uniform, uses it to target travellers at border'
Image: SUHAIB SALEM
A man who allegedly posed as a police officer with a stolen uniform has been arrested after being reported for allegedly targeting travellers at a Mpumalanga border post.
The 34-year-old was wearing a woman's police shirt and man's trousers without the police belt or cap.
When he was being booked on charges at the police station, a woman police officer identified him as the person she had hired to install ceilings at her house between February and March, said police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala.
“Through the investigation, it was discovered that during the period he was hired by the member he allegedly stole her police uniform [shirts]. The investigation is continuing in an effort to find out where he got the other items of the uniform.”
The man had used the items to impersonate a policeman at the Jeppes Reef border post near Tonga.
“It is alleged the man was demanding items from his victims at the border while pretending to be a police sergeant,” said Mohlala. This was reported by a concerned citizen and led to his arrest.
The suspect, who faces charges of impersonating a police officer and theft, appeared briefly in the Nkomazi magistrate’s court on Thursday. He was remanded pending a bail application on April 12.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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