A 37-year-old Mozambican man was cornered and arrested near Emalahleni in Mpumalanga as police recovered a Toyota Hilux GD-6, which was reportedly stolen in November last year.
The popular bakkie which was recovered on Saturday was reported stolen at Sandrinhgam in Gauteng last year, according to Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
“The information gathered by the intelligence structure of the police from national office was provided to law enforcement agencies to operationalise. The involved structures include members of the police from Mpumalanga provincial tracking team, SAPS's intelligence investigation unit from head office, SAPS Middelburg flying squad unit, CAP Specialised Unit, and Tracker Connect,” said Mdhluli.
“According to the (police) report, details were regarding a suspect in possession of a car which was reportedly stolen last year November was provided to the team,” he said.
“A follow-up was made, which led to the white Toyota Hilux GD-6, being spotted along the N4 Road.”
The bakkie was having one occupant when it was spotted by police before it was intercepted.
Thereafter, a search was conducted by members of the law enforcement team and it was during this time when police officers realised that the vehicle was fitted with false registration number plates.
“Upon further investigation, it was unearthed that the vehicle was in fact, the one that police were searching for, after it was reported stolen in Gauteng. At that point, the suspect was arrested and charged for possession of suspected stolen vehicle,” said Mdhluli.
“During the tour of the investigation, police established that the male suspect is a foreign national from Mozambique.”
Police said the arrested man is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Mdhluli highlighted that police in Mpumalanga, working together with other law enforcement agencies, continue to clamp down on theft of motor vehicles across the province.
Earlier this month, IOL reported that police in Mpumalanga have recovered a white Toyota Fortuner which was stolen by armed assailants during a house robbery incident.
The house robbery occurred at Sabie on May 31, at around 2am.
“According to a (police) report, members of a certain family were asleep in the house when they were awakened by a noise, and only to realise that there were armed suspects who had already entered the house somehow,” Mdhluli said at the time.
“It is further said that these suspects became very aggressive while they held the victims at gunpoint. In the process, the suspects ordered the victims to remain calm and threatened to kill them if they did not comply.”
The assailants reportedly took the victims' belongings, then demanded car keys for the Toyota Fortuner in the yard.
IOL