SOUTH AFRICA MASTERMIND BEHIND STOLEN COMPUTER SYNDICATE NABBED The Herald Online **News**:

Mastermind behind stolen laptop syndicate nabbed

THE mastermind behind a syndicate dealing in stolen laptop computers was arrested in Central after police caught him shipping laptops to Nigeria.

Humewood police station commander Director Ronald Koll said the 34-year-old man had been arrested as he was walking out of the Post Office earlier this week, having just submitted a shipment of stolen laptops to be sent to Nigeria.

Koll said the police believed that the man, who is thought to be the head of a syndicate trading in stolen laptops, was behind the recent increase in laptop thefts in Port Elizabeth.

“There have been a number of laptop thefts throughout Port Elizabeth in recent months, including from businesses, in housebreakings and even from vehicles.

“The police were at first not able to pinpoint how the thieves were disposing of them as there was no sign of the stolen items appearing at second-hand shops or other known stolen goods channels,” he said.

Humewood police detectives had formed a special task team to investigate the matter and, with the Port Elizabeth crime intelligence unit, had set up a surveillance operation which had traced the operation to the man they arrested.

“It appears he offered criminals a set price for any laptops they stole and would then neatly package them before shipping them to his partners in Nigeria, via the O R Tambo Airport, where they would then be sold.”

Koll said the man was believed to have already shipped more than 40 laptops in this fashion. He said the police were appealing to anyone who had had their laptop stolen recently to contact the Humewood detective branch, or their nearest police station, at 08600 10111.

The man is expected to appear in the magistrate‘s court today on charges of theft and possession of stolen property.