A 55-year-old man will appear in court on Friday after he was intercepted on the N1 in Limpopo, driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee stolen in Gauteng.
Image: SAPS
A 55-year-old man was apprehended by the members Limpopo’s provincial anti-smuggling team for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle on Wednesday.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Thakeng said police in Limpopo received information about a silver 4×4 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicle (SUV) which was alleged to be stolen from Gauteng province.
The SUV was heading towards the Musina policing area under Vhembe district.
“An immediate search for the motor vehicle was activated and subsequently it was spotted travelling along the N1 South highway outside Polokwane,” said Thakeng.
The law enforcement team managed to intercept the Jeep Grand Cherokee, with one male occupant, next to Shell Ultra City filling station.
“Afterwards, police started with the inspection of the motor vehicle and discovered that chassis and engine numbers have been tempered with,” said Thakeng.
He said the 55-year-old man who was driving the vehicle was quizzed about origins of the SUV, and he failed to provide a satisfactory response.
The driver was immediately placed under an arrest on charges of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
“The silver Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV worth R500,000 was also seized during the arrest and further investigations will be conducted to determine its origin,” said Thakeng.
The arrested man will appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, facing a charge of contravention of the National Road Traffic Act, and possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
A 55-year-old man was apprehended by police in Limpopo while driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee stolen in Gauteng.
Image: SAPS
In August, IOL reported that the Mokopane Regional Court in Limpopo sentenced 46-year-old Vusi Vincent Moloka to seven years direct imprisonment for possession of a stolen vehicle.
At the time, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said police received information about a stolen Toyota Fortuner with Gauteng registration numberplates travelling from Sandton to Limpopo via the N1 North.
Vusi Vincent Moloka was sentenced to seven years in jail after he was found a stolen Toyota Fortuner from Gauteng to Limpopo.
Image: SAPS
A lookout was issued, and with assistance from Spoorvat and Reflex private security companies, Ledwaba said the wanted vehicle was spotted on the N1 freeway.
“The driver attempted to flee but was later arrested in Modimolle with the stolen vehicle's keys in his possession,” Ledwaba said.
“The case was transferred to the Modimolle Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit (VCIU) and allocated to Detective Sergeant Mpedi Ngoepe, who ensured a watertight case and successfully opposed bail.”
IOL