Fortuners a big target for car thieves
Since the beginning of the year, about 20 Toyota Fortuners have been stolen in the Mopani region.
This is according to motor vehicle and security expert, Willie Smit. He told the Herald that vehicle theft is a big challenge in the region. “There is a syndicate or a gang that operates in the Thohoyandou area; about 30% of the vehicles that were stolen in the last five months, were recovered there. There have also been cases from the area next to the Nkuna Kraal Mall,” he said.
He further stated that these syndicates look for Toyota D4D Fortuners, Toyota Hilux and Ford Rangers, and other brands of vehicles. On Thursday, May 18, the police in Tzaneen made a breakthrough after arresting three men between 25 and 35 years old. Police approached a suspicious white Volkswagen Tiguan motor with registration numbers from both Gauteng and Limpopo with three male occupants.
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They found two firearms, 27 live rounds of ammunition, and two magazines hidden inside the vehicle. The three suspects were arrested, and a further investigation revealed that the car was reported stolen in Roodepoort in Gauteng. The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, applauded the police for removing illegal firearms from the wrong hands.
“These firearms could have been used to harm innocent lives,” concluded Hadebe. The suspects were expected to appear before the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Monday, May 22. At the time of going to press, the outcome of their appearance was still unknown. Meanwhile, Sgt Maurice Nkhwashu from Tzaneen Police Station said that in May, only three car theft cases were opened at the station.
