Toyota Fortuner stolen in Pretoria on election day intercepted in Limpopo, en-route to Beitbridge border post
|Published
Limpopo police arrested a 36-year-old man after he was allegedly found driving a Toyota Fortuner stolen in Gauteng, heading towards Beitbridge port of entry.
Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo said the popular sport utility vehicle, which is white in colour, was stolen on election day, May 29.
The vehicle was intercepted and recovered in Limpopo on Thursday.
“The provincial anti-smuggling task team in Limpopo conducted a successful operation, intercepting a 36-year-old male suspect who was en-route to Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge border post,” said Ledwaba.
“The suspect driving a stolen Toyota Fortuner from Gauteng, was apprehended on Thursday morning, June 6, in Matlala policing area outside Polokwane.”
Preliminary police investigations have revealed that the vehicle was stolen on May 29 in Sinoville, Tshwane.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrest and recovery of the Toyota Fortuner.
She also commended the collaboration between the South African Police Service and private security companies to tackle crime effectively.
The arrested man is set to appear before the Seshego Magistrate's Court facing a charge of possession of presumed stolen motor vehicle.
Last year, IOL reported that the regional court in Mokopane, in Limpopo, convicted and sentenced a 35-year-old South African man after he was intercepted while driving a stolen Toyota Fortuner towards Zimbabwe.
Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo, said Shane Mthombeni was sentenced to six years of direct imprisonment, without the option to pay a fine.
“The court heard that the South African citizen, Shane Mthombeni was intercepted by police while driving a silver motor vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner at Nyl Toll Plaza along the N1 Highway on Monday, October 30,” Mashaba said.
Members of the Limpopo police’s provincial tracking team, in conjunction with a private security company operationalised information which had been gathered, and arrested the driver.
IOL