Possible motorbike syndicate thieves nabbed

Three men who are possibly linked to a syndicate smuggling stolen motorbike parts out of SA, were caught red-handed after a series of raids.

The bust on Wednesday afternoon followed a tip-off about a group allegedly stripping, selling and exporting stolen motorbikes – as well as drugs – from a flat in Crossandra Street, Malabar.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Alwin Labans said the Port Elizabeth K9 unit followed up on leads which led them to the block of the flats.

“The members were patrolling Havelock Street in Central when they were flagged down and told of a suspect who was in possession of a motorbike that stolen in March.

The police then went to a house in Central  where a 33-year-old man was arrested, but the stolen bike was not found on the premises.  The man led the police to a petrol station in Durban Road, Korsten, where a 31-year-old manager was also arrested,” he said.

After following up on some more leads, the police raided a block of flats in Crossandra Street, Malabar. 

“Several stolen bike parts - which were already wrapped in cling film for transport - were recovered during this raid. At the time of the raid, a 36-year-old suspect was also busy dismantling another motorbike which the police established was also reported stolen.”

Labans said that in addition to the stolen motorbike parts, police also found 6kg of dagga and a large sum of money, as well as a gas pistol and  car speakers which are believed to also have been stolen.

“At this stage, we suspect the items were possibly being smuggled out of the country for sale. Investigations are ongoing,” he said.

This comes after two high-end motorbike shops in the Bay had been burgled over the last two weeks.

The latest burglary - during which two off-road motorbikes were stolen - took place at Auto Motorcycles, situated in Heugh Road, Walmer  in the early hours of Monday morning.

The two stolen off-road bikes had a total value of about R260,000.

A week prior, on April 23, the KTM Port Elizabeth dealership in Butterfield Crescent was burgled and five bikes stolen. Three of the bikes were later found hidden in the nearby bushes.

Asked if the group were possibly linked to a syndicate believed to be stealing motorbikes across the Bay, Labans said that this was being looking into.

“All avenues are being investigated and detectives are looking into whether this group is linked to these two thefts, as well as others across the Bay,” he said.

Due to the spate of bikes of being stolen from businesses lately, Sleuth Private Detectives were hired to assist with the investigations.

Senior forensic investigator Dawie Naude said they have already established that there was a syndicate operating in the Bay and were in the process of following up more leads.

“The modus of operandi  in these two business burglaries were the same. They are targeting certain brands and off-road motorbikes. These are sold on to a very specific niche market,” she said.

“This group is organised and do a certain amount of planning. We have noticed that they also scout the area prior to breaking into the stores. They also make sure that the armed response company is no where nearby which limits the response times.”

Naude said that the bikes were likely being stripped.

“We do think that the bikes are being dismantled and then sold as parts to very specific buyers who are funding this syndicate,” he said.

 All three suspects are due to appear in the Port Elizabeth magistrate's court on Friday for charges ranging from illegal possession of stolen property to theft of motorbikes.