Kimberley man charged with perjury after car he reported hijacked was repossessed

A Kimberley man who told police his car had been hijacked by four armed men has been charged with perjury after investigators found the vehicle had been repossessed.

According to the South African Police Service, the 44-year-old opened a case of car hijacking at the Kimberley Police Station on Thursday, 10 September 2026, claiming the vehicle had been taken from him by four armed men in the city. The docket was assigned to Detective Warrant Officer Anthony Rheeder of the Kimberley Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit.

During the preliminary investigation, Detective Warrant Officer Rheeder established that the vehicle had been repossessed by the Sheriff of the Court after the man failed to meet his monthly financial obligations to the bank, SAPS said. Further investigation revealed that the man had allegedly failed to cooperate with the Sheriff’s Office and then reported the false hijacking.

He was arrested for perjury on Wednesday, 7 October 2026 and is expected to appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 8 October 2026.

SAPS cautioned members of the public that deliberately opening a false criminal case is a serious offence. The service said such incidents consume police and judicial resources, diverting investigators, personnel and funding away from genuine cases that need urgent attention.

The police urged the public to refrain from abusing the criminal justice system by reporting false cases. Every false report wastes public resources, takes investigators away from active investigations and may compromise the effective administration of justice, SAPS said.

Enquiries on the case can be directed to Warrant Officer Molefi Shemane on 071 310 9507.

Source: South African Police Service, Kimberley man arrested for perjury after false hijacking report