Suspect in case of a stolen Pretoria vehicle heading for Zim awaits bail
Loaded Maguta was arrested for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle in Polokwane after the vehicle had been reported stolen at the weekend. It was recovered en route to Zimbabwe.
A 34-year-old suspect appeared in Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on October 25 on charges of driving a suspected stolen vehicle heading for the Zimbabwe border.
Loaded Maguta, a Zimbabwe national was arrested on October 23 after a high-speed chase during a recovery operation for the vehicle suspected to have been stolen in Garsfontein in the east of Pretoria.
Spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said Maguta was arrested for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles in Polokwane.
Mashaba said Maguta was arrested after the theft of a Toyota Fortuner 2.8 was reported stolen in Garsfontein on October 21.
“He is remanded in custody until October 31 for formal bail application.”
Pretoria east vehicle stolen at weekend recovered en route to Zim
According to Mashaba, the suspect was linked to a vehicle-smuggling syndicate operating between Gauteng and Limpopo in Beitbridge. He was also linked to the smuggling of a Toyota Hilux Legend 50 to Zimbabwe a week before being arrested.
He said Maguta was arrested on charges relating to the breach of immigration laws, possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle and driving a motor vehicle without a valid driving licence.
Mashaba said the arrest and recovery were made by the provincial tracking team, Sekhukhune Highway Patrol (flying squad) and private security companies following a tip-off. The suspect was illegally taking the stolen car on the Berghenk Road into Zimbabwe through Beitbridge.
“An operation was activated and the team spotted the described vehicle.
“They tried to stop it, but the driver sped off,” said Mashaba.
He said law enforcement gave chase from Kuschke Agricultural School until the driver stopped at the R101 next to Lunds.
“The suspect was immediately arrested for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle, driving without a valid driving licence, and it was also established that he is in the country illegally.”
Preliminary investigations revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen in Garsfontein on October 21.
“Police investigations might link the suspect to more similar cases.”
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe commended the team for moving swiftly to arrest the suspect.
She also directed them to look into the suspect’s modus operandi to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
In June, police intercepted and arrested a 52-year-old suspect before he could cross the border in a stolen vehicle.
Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said according to intelligence information, the Toyota Hilux had been hijacked in Pretoria and would have been smuggled out of the country via Beitbridge into Zimbabwe.
“The operational team followed information along the R101 outside Mokopane and the vehicle fitting the description was spotted. Attempts to stop the vehicle failed as the driver sped off and a high-speed chase ensued until the Toyota Hilux was intercepted along Nelson Mandela Drive in Mokopane.”
Ledwaba said preliminary investigations revealed the vehicle was heading to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.
“It was further established that its registration and chassis numbers had been cloned from another Toyota in Johannesburg.”
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
