LIMPOPO POLICE SWIFTLY RECOVER TWELVE STOLEN VEHICLES AS ANTI-SMUGGLING OPERATION CONTINUES TO DISMANTLE CRIMINAL NETWORK
POLOKWANE – The Police in Limpopo have intensified their fight against cross-border vehicle theft and smuggling operations, recovering multiple stolen vehicles en route to Zimbabwe within a week.
In the latest operations, members of the Musina Task Team successfully intercepted a Toyota Corolla Cross, at Bergview during routine operations on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at about 19:30.
The vehicle had been reported stolen in Brakpan, Gauteng province in January 2025. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver accelerated. After a brief pursuit, the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into nearby bushes. The suspect evaded arrest. A manhunt has been launched to locate and arrest the suspect.
In a second successful operation, joint operational teams comprising the Anti-smuggling Task Team, Tshimollo Security and Investigation, Reflex Anti-hijacking Security, and Tracker SA intercepted another vehicle following intelligence reports.The Toyota Rav4 was intercepted at approximately 20:00 near Shell Ultra City in Polokwane on the N1 highway. The vehicle had been reported stolen in Brooklyn, Gauteng province over the weekend. A 43-year-old foreign national male was arrested at the scene. The suspect is scheduled to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 23 May 2025.
These recoveries are part of a larger operation conducted from Thursday to Sunday night, which resulted in a total of twelve(12) stolen vehicles being recovered. The joint operations involved various SAPS Units, Tracker and Private Security Companies. Of the twelve vehicles recovered, six were equipped with Tracker devices. The vehicles were intercepted at various locations, including near the Beitbridge Port of Entry , Polokwane, Mokopane, and Witbank. All vehicles had been stolen or hijacked in the Gauteng Province.
The recovered vehicles include seven Toyota Corolla Cross, two Toyota Hilux, one Nissan Navara, one Ford Ranger, and one Nissan 1400. The operations led to the arrest of six suspects in total. All vehicles and suspects have been processed according to proper procedures.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe
praised the vigilance of all units involved. “The recovery of these twelve vehicles represents a significant blow to this criminal networks. Our officers and their partners continue to work tirelessly to dismantle these syndicates that threaten our communities and economy.
The investigations continue.
