A female traffic officer from the Thulamela Municipality in Limpopo became the latest victim of violent crime after being hijacked at gunpoint outside her home in Ha-Budeli, in the Thohoyandou policing area, on Saturday night.

Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba says the officer had just returned from work and was closing her gate when two unknown men confronted her.

Polokwane Review reports that one of the suspects, armed with a pistol, ordered her to lie down and then kicked her.

The second suspect locked her in a room before reversing the vehicle out of the driveway.

Before fleeing, the man fired two shots.

The hijackers escaped with her silver-grey Toyota Fortuner, cash, a laptop and traffic equipment.

Ledwaba highlighted an alarming trend in vehicle smuggling in the region, with multiple stolen vehicle reports filed at SAPS stations across Vhembe.

He urges residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the authorities.

Advocate Enos Muthobi, the chairperson of the Vhembe Community Policing Forum, shed light on the growing issue of cross-border vehicle smuggling.

He says luxury vehicles, including hijacked or stolen cars, are often transported through Beitbridge, a major smuggling route.

“These syndicates operate across borders, sourcing stolen vehicles, facilitating illegal crossings, and selling them in other countries,” Muthobi says.

He calls on government to implement stricter security measures to combat vehicle smuggling, emphasising the importance of prevention.

“We must equip our communities with the right knowledge to prevent hijackings before they happen,” he adds.

The police are investigating the hijacking.