SAPS issues strong warning to criminals

By Anele Siwa
08 February 2008

Cape Town police have sent out a warning to the public that lying under oath is a criminal offence, and those accountable for submitting false statements to the Police in order to benefit from fraudulent insurance claims, or for what ever reason, will be arrested, prosecuted and must expect no mercy from the Law.

“The severity of a false criminal case reported to the Police, and the consequences of a fruitless investigation can not be over emphasised and we can not allow perpetrators to continue with this malicious acts that exhaust our resources,” warned Andre Traut SAPS police spokesperson.

According to Traut serious and legitimate cases which require an urgent investigation are deprived from the police's attention by false cases being reported, and this practise is disturbing the course of justice.

“Crime statistics are negatively influenced with numerous consequences, not only to SAPS, but to the entire community which we serve, and to the economy and prosperity of our country.
Most recently a few perpetrators have been arrested and charged with offences relating to the false and fraudulent reporting of crimes in the Western Cape, in an attempt to either submit a claim to their insurance company, or conceal evidence in another criminal matter, says Traut.

According to Traut early this year Sea Point Police were summonsed to a house breaking complaint, but cops realised that the information was not true, and arrested the offender, who is a 53-year-old woman.

“Two days later Kraaifontein Police arrested a 40-year-old female who reported a house breaking case during August 2007. She submitted a huge claim to the tune of R150 000 to her insurer, but when SAPS called on her residence, most of the reportedly stolen items were found.

A Nyanga couple was arrested on 2 February for reporting a cellular phone that was stolen. It was discovered that they had lied in an attempt to defraud their insurance company,” says Traut.