A man allegedly used fake documents to hire a high-end Mercedes-Benz V300 Brabus from a Cape Town luxury car rental company, then smuggled it into Zimbabwe.
The van later appeared for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
Man uses fake documents to hire luxury van
In early November a man using fake identity documents and a fraudulent driver’s licence, approached Ndalo Transportation to rent the van.
The South African contacted the company, and it confirmed that after collecting the vehicle, the suspect removed the tracking device and dumped it in Cape Town’s CBD.
The suspect used fake documents to book the van for five days at the rate of R40 000 per day.
According to the company, the suspect paid in cash.
The Mercedes-Benz V300 Brabus, valued between R1.6 million and R2 million, ranks among the most luxurious vehicles in its class.
Fraudster mocks the transport company
While the company raced to track down the van, the fraudster sent a mocking video, insulting the business and taunting them about the missing vehicle.
He later followed up with another clip showing himself driving the Mercedes-Benz through Joe Slovo, Dunoon, with two other men, all blasting loud music as they cruised through the crowded settlement.
The luxury van lands up in Zimbabwe?
Ndalo Transportation believed the van was still in Cape Town. They turned to social media and asked the public to help track it down.
But the case took an unexpected turn when another transport operator spotted the vehicle advertised on Facebook Marketplace. It was not in South Africa, but in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The listing described the van as: “Immaculate condition, 2023 model, full leather interior, sunroof, lots of luxurious extras.”
The seller advertised the luxury van for $99,999 (just over R1.7 million) and even offered a vehicle swap as an option.
The business contact who recognised the vehicle promptly alerted Ndalo Transportation.
With this new information, the company contacted officials in Zimbabwe, who were able to locate the vehicle. It is now being held at a police station…
