POLOKWANE – Local police are closing in on a six-member syndicate believed to be behind a surge in parked vehicle break-ins across the city.

Two suspects have been arrested for breaking into vehicles and stealing valuables. The most recent arrest, made on Friday, led to a confession linking the suspects to a gang targeting cars in busy areas of the city, particularly in the CBD, including the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital parking area, Library Gardens and surrounding downtown streets.

The breakthrough was welcomed by Polokwane Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Rudolph Phaswana, who said that more than 70 cases of theft out of motor vehicles had been recorded on average over a three-month period at the Polokwane Police Station.

Phaswana has repeatedly cautioned motorists to safeguard their belongings, warning that unregulated street car washers and vagrants are often suspected of scouting vehicles for larger syndicates. These groups allegedly assist organised vehicle thieves in identifying easy targets.

This month alone, three vehicles – including Nissan NP200 and NP300 models – were reported stolen, with these models frequently targeted in both theft and break-in cases.

Following the arrests, four vehicles were recovered. Phaswana, however, confirmed that six break-ins were recorded on Monday alone, which he said highlights the scale of the problem.

The CPF expressed the hope that the arrests signal progress in curbing the crime trend. Recently released provincial crime statistics by provincial police commissioner Thembi Hadebe shows a reduction in vehicle break-ins and common robbery between October and December 2025.

Polokwane has ranked first in Limpopo for vehicle break-ins for five consecutive years and fifth nationally.

Recorded vehicle break-ins in Polokwane (Oct–Dec):

2021: 110
2022: 177
2023: 257
2024: 273
2025: 213 (60 fewer than 2024)