Limpopo police intercepted a silver Isuzu KB 4x4 double cab vehicle, after it was reported stolen in Pretoria.
The man who was found in possession of the stolen bakkie is on Wednesday scheduled to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court.
The recovered bakkie, valued at R400,000, was intercepted in Limpopo where it was being driven towards the Beitbridge border post, with the intention of smuggling it to neighbouring Zimbabwe, provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said.
The arrested driver of the Isuzu bakkie, who was arrested on Monday, will face charges including possession of stolen motor vehicles, contravention of the Immigration Act, and reckless and negligent driving.
“Acting on intelligence received from the crime intelligence unit regarding a stolen vehicle from Gauteng en route to Zimbabwe through Beitbridge, the police swiftly operationalised the information,” said Ledwaba.
“The operation, executed by the provincial tracking team, provincial murder and robbery unit, and private security personnel, successfully intercepted the vehicle on N1 South, near Shell Ultra City, leading to the arrest of one suspect for possession of a stolen motor vehicle and violating the Immigration Act.”
Police added that it is believed that the man who was found in possession of the stolen vehicle has been previously engaged in smuggling of multiple 4x4 vehicles out of South Africa.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the motor vehicle in question had been hijacked on Friday, March 1, in Soshanguve,” said Ledwaba.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrest, and the recovery of the stolen vehicle.
Last week, IOL reported that a 33-year-old South African man appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court in Limpopo, facing a charge of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
At the time, Ledwaba said the arrested man was driving a stolen Ford Ranger Raptor bakkie, worth over R1 million, to Zimbabwe.
IOL