A wanted criminal who has been on the run for the past seven years has finally been arrested after he voluntarily walked into a police station to follow up on his job application.
According to reports, Thomas Ngcobo, a 40-year-old South African man, has been on the run for years after stealing hardware products worth more than $1,200 while working as a delivery man in 2015.
It is reported that he had diverted deliveries to other addresses without the owner’s consent or knowledge.
When his manager realized that some invoices were missing and several products had been delivered to the wrong addresses, he lodged an official complaint with the police. His name has since been placed on the police wanted list.
Then, interestingly, as if he didn’t have a case at the police station, Ngcobo walked confidently to the police station on August 15 to follow up on a job application, saying it had been a long time since he submitted it.
The Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, who disclosed the suspect’s arrest to journalists, said that his colleagues at the police station were shocked to see him.
“The suspect was unexpectedly nabbed on Monday, August 15, 2022, after he visited the Bethal SAPS to make enquiries about his application for a police recruitment drive,” Mohlala is quoted to have said.
Although it was not any effort by the police that led to the arrest of Ngcobo, they have been bragging about the arrest.
Semakaleng Daphney Manamela is quoted to have said: “We are working tirelessly day and night, sticking to our mandate of creating a safe environment for all citizens.
“We cannot achieve that stage while other suspects are still roaming the streets and terrorising communities. It is just a matter of time before we bring them to justice.”
