Port Elizabeth police are urging businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay to ensure the safety and security of their assets.
This comes after an armed robbery at a business in Kabega Park on Friday, where five Volkswagen vehicles were stolen.
Police Spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu says at about 10 pm on Friday night, two security guards, aged 32 and 25, were threatened by five suspects who had a firearm.
She says they then stole the keys to several brand new VW vehicles from a locked office.
The security guards were locked up inside a Volkswagen Caddy before the suspects drove off with three white Polo's, one silver Polo and a white Caddy.
Naidu says the company, who is contracted to store these vehicles, before transporting them to respective destinations throughout the country, must still do a stock take to see if anything else was stolen.
Police are also investigating two cases whereby two Volkswagen vehicles were stolen last week, one in Kwanobuhle and one in Kamesh. Naidu says the one car was found burnt out in Matanzima Street while the other one was found partially burnt in the same street.
She says there are rumours going around on social media that criminals are targeting leased VW vehicles to set them alight, in solidarity for their gangster friend Thando Mlilwana who was gunned down outside a tavern earlier this month. Police cannot confirm these rumours, however, investigations are continuing.
Police are also appealing to businesses not to leave vehicle keys to their fleet with security officials. This is not the first case where vehicles were taken from depots. The proactive measure should be implemented as criminals come in numbers and overpower the security guards on duty.
