A 25-year-old male suspect was arrested and at least hundred and fifty-three robbed and stolen iPhones were recovered at a flat in the Johannesburg CBD.
On Wednesday, 16 August 2023, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department IIOC Undercover Reaction Unit received a complaint about an iPhone that was robbed from its owner at gunpoint. The phone's tracking device was signaling that it was in the Johannesburg CBD.
Eye Ops security tracked and searched for the iPhone together with JMPD IIOC Undercover officers which led them to a flat at the corners of Von Brandis Street and Jeppe Street.
Upon arrival, the officers found a male on the premises, a Mozambican foreign national. They searched the flat and recovered the said iPhone and a hundred and fifty-two other iPhones believed to be stolen or robbed from the owners. A laptop used to unblock stolen and robbed phones was also recovered.
One of the phones was traced to a pickpocket incident in Jeppestown earlier this month.
The suspect, who was also found in possession of Mozambican currency was arrested for possession of stolen property and he was detained at Johannesburg Central SAPS.
A further probe by police will be conducted to uncover this cellphone robbery syndicate.
Issued by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department Communication Unit