POLICE in Limpopo, South Africa, yesterday intercepted a Toyota Prado vehicle, which was hijacked in Gauteng, while it was being driven towards Zimbabwe by a woman.
Limpopo provincial SAPS spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the 39-year-old woman was arrested on the spot.
“In ensuring that stolen or hijacked vehicles are not going through our borders, the ever-alert police officers intercepted and pulled over a Toyota Prado along the N1 road under Botlokwa policing area north of Polokwane on Wednesday, 9 November 2022, and arrested a 39-year-old female suspect,” Ledwaba said.
“The information was provided by the members of the Crime Intelligence Unit about a hijacked Toyota Prado motor vehicle which was intended to be smuggled to Zimbabwe via Beitbridge port of entry.
“The members of Limpopo Tracking Team, SPS High Risk and Tshimollo Security jointly operationalised the information given and subsequently spotted the motor vehicle fi tting the description (at) Sekonye village,” he said.
The motor vehicle was stopped, searched and police discovered that it was fi tted with false registration plates. “The motor vehicle was also tested and later it was discovered that it was hijacked earlier this month at Randburg in Gauteng province,” Ledwaba said.
“The driver of the motor vehicle failed to provide satisfactory explanation and was immediately arrested for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle valued at R400 000. “A 39-year-old female suspect, believed to be a Zimbabwean national will appear before the Morebeng Magistrate’s Court soon facing charges of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle,” Ledwaba said.
In September, a 31-year-old woman, Felecity Boitumelo Tshwarelo Menyayiso was granted R4 000 bail during her court appearance before the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court after she was arrested for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.
At the time, Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said Menyayiso was appearing in court after she was found with a stolen vehicle valued at R1.5 million, heading to Mozambique.
“Her court appearance follows her arrest after she was found driving a vehicle worth about R1.5m which was reported stolen in Randburg, Gauteng province, last month,” Mohlala said.
“Intelligent driven information was received on Thursday, 1 September 2022, that there was a white suspected stolen Lexus with Gauteng registration number plates en route to Lebombo port of entry which was due to be smuggled out of the country.” — IOL and TimesLIVE