KOMATIPOORT – Four stolen vehicles, worth about R2 million, were recovered at the border after police and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members stopped a convoy.
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SANDF spokesman, Lt Col Piet Paxton said the vehicles were recovered on Friday at around 01:30.
He said platoon two of bravo company from 14 South African Infantry Battalion was conducting standing patrols on the Mozambique border, about 40 kilometres south of Lebombo Border Post.
Paxton added that the soldiers heard the sound of vehicles approaching. Upon investigation they saw four driving towards them in a convoy.
“One officer stood in front of the road with the oncoming vehicles approaching him, but the drivers attempted to run him over.”
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The officer shot four rounds in the air in an attempt to stop them.
“Another vehicle attempted to overtake the first one and two more shots were fired.”
Police spokesman, Sgt Gerald Sedibe said the police and SANDF members surrounded the vehicles, which came to a halt.
“All the drivers managed to evade arrest, leaving keys in the ignitions and fleeing from the scene,” said Paxton.
The vehicles included Toyota Hilux double and single cabs, a Ford Ranger double cab and a Nissan truck.
He said further inspection by police revealed that that the bakkies were stolen in North West and Limpopo provinces and the truck in Gauteng.
They were seized by police for further investigation.
