Pretoria - Two men, aged between 32 and 40, have been arrested by the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and the SAPS for the possession of a BMW 1-series hijacked from Orlando Pirates forward Vincent Pule.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the arrested suspects were also found with unlicenced AK-47 ammunition in Riverlea.
“Following the hijacking of Orlando Pirates soccer player Vincent Pule on Sunday, July 31, 2022, in the south of Johannesburg, a team comprising of JMPD K9, SAPS Johannesburg central trio detectives and Mondeor trio tracing were working tirelessly in solving the case and recovering the hijacked vehicle, a black BMW 1-series,” said Fihla.
“On Friday, August 12, 2022, the team followed up on information, which led them to a house in Riverlea, where two males were found on the premises.”
At the premises, police found the sought vehicle, one live AK-47 bullet, one tracking device and four sets of registration plates.
“Upon recovery, the vehicle's registration plates and licence disc had been changed and it was fitted with false registration plates and licence disc,” said Fihla.
“Officers verified the vehicle using its VIN and engine number and it was positively identified as the same vehicle, which was hijacked from Vincent Pule as per the Moffatview SAPS case.”
Fihla said the two men, who have been linked to several hijackings around Joburg, were immediately placed under arrest and detained at the Langlaagte police station.
Pule’s vehicle was seized by police and booked in at the SAPS Aeroton pound.
The Free State-born Pule, aged 30, joined Orlando Pirates in 2018 after being signed from the defunct Bidvest Wits where he won the DStv Premiership, the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout.
IOL