CAR thieves had a bad day recently when the stolen Toyota Fortuner they were travelling in got stuck in thick sand in Mandlanzini near Richards Bay Airport.
Empangeni SAPS received a tip-off on Saturday afternoon after residents spotted the vehicle semi-hidden under bushes.
The license plates and license disc had been removed, while the radio had been stripped out of the dashboard.
The steering lock mechanism had also been broken, enabling the thieves to drive the vehicle.
According to police the vehicle had been reported stolen in Empangeni earlier this month.
Private breakdown services were deployed to extricate the vehicle late on Saturday afternoon.
