Johannesburg - Police officers patrolling a quiet street in Meyerton, Midvaal, thought their eyes were kidding them when they found 14 goats packed into a minibus taxi.
The bizarre discovery, made at around 1.40am on Tuesday in Pierneef Street, landed five men behind bars.
Images of the stolen goats, which have since surfaced on social media, show some of the animals standing backwards in the front seat of the taxi.
The rest were packed into the back of the vehicle as the seats had been removed.
Police spokeswoman Constable Maria Letsele told The Star that officers were doing a routine patrol when they stopped three vehicles travelling together: a white Hilux bakkie, a black Volkswagen Jetta and the taxi.
While questioning the group, the officers quickly discovered the livestock inside the taxi.
Letsele said the driver and others with him in the vehicle could not justify why the animals were inside the vehicle.
The five men, who are from Soweto and Kliprivier, have been arrested and charged with stock theft.
Those inside the Jetta and the bakkie fled the scene.
The taxi has since been seized, but Letsele said the owner of the vehicle was unknown and it had not been reported as missing.
Meanwhile, the 14 goats have since been returned to their owner, who is from Sherman Park in Meyerton.
An Ekurhuleni man was last year sentenced to 80 years in prison for stealing about R2 million worth of cattle and goats in Limpopo and North West in July and August 2013.
@Karishma_Dipa
The Star