Motorists on edge as car thefts continue unabated

The police in Bela-Bela and beyond have had their hands full in recent weeks, tracking down stolen or hijacked vehicles.

The latest incident was the arrest in Bela-Bela of a suspect who allegedly stole a top-of-the-range VW Polo in Mokopane.

The suspect, George Ngobeni, was cornered by investigators following a tip-off from members of the community.

Eyewitnesses in the township in Bela-Bela said the suspect was arrested while attempting to escape on foot, on Thursday 27 February.

Ngobeni was expected to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court for the second time, on Tuesday 10 March, for formal bail application proceedings.

He was charged with the illegal possession of an allegedly stolen vehicle before he was brought before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Thursday 27 February.

The suspect’s court appearance came within days after The BEAT had reported an uptick in incidents of car theft and hijack around the Waterberg in recent weeks.

Two suspects appeared before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Monday 24 February in connection with the alleged hijack of a bakkie.

According to investigators, the bakkie was hijacked in Bela-Bela in January.

Bela-Bela police spokesperson, Sergeant Frans Maponya, said Thomas Makhubela (33) and Simon Makgatho (42) are both from Bela-Bela.

One of the men is facing charges of theft and possession of an allegedly stolen vehicle.

Maponya said the two suspects were tracked down and arrested separately in the village of Gasekgopo and also in the Rottterdam area.

The bakkie was recovered in Gasekgopo.

In yet another incident, two suspects appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 26 February, following the alleged theft and recovery of a stolen sedan.

At the time Bela-Bela businessman and socialite, Jacob Tlou, woke up to find his car missing from a workshop he owns in Modimolle.

Tlou moved swiftly, circulating pictures of the car on social media, which apparently led to the recovery of the vehicle at a spares outlet in Pretoria West.

— The BEAT