Four people have been arrested in North West province after a syndicate raided a car dealership in Zeerust and stole three new Ford Ranger double cab bakkies.
Spokesperson for the provincial department of community safety and transport management, Charles Matlou said the dealership was raided in the early hours of Monday.
“According to the information, during the early morning hours of Monday, a business break-in was committed by unknown suspects from Gauteng, where three brand new Ford Ranger double cab bakkies were stolen,” said Matlou.
In the aftermath of the brazen robbery, a joint operation of different law enforcement units established the location of the stolen vehicles, which were heading towards Gauteng.
“Response vehicles and (SAPS) airwing were activated, which led to the recovery of three stolen bakkies and successful arrest of four suspects,” said Matlou.
He said the suspects were arrested in different areas as the stolen bakkies had taken different directions.
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Meanwhile, North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, has commended the efforts of the police, the Gauteng airwing highway patrol and Traffic North West Eagles for their efforts in the arrests.
Last year, IOL reported that a Ford Ranger Raptor, which was stolen in Gauteng, was recovered by police in Mpumalanga while heading towards the Waverley port of entry — a small border crossing between South Africa and neighbouring eSwatini.
The top-of-the-range Ford Ranger double cab double cab vehicle was recovered following a tip-off, according to Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi.
“A tip-off from a whistle blower yields positive results as police in Waverley port of entry successfully recovered a reported stolen vehicle, a white Ford Ranger Raptor on February 23, 2024,” Nkosi said.
“Police were busy with their normal patrol duties when they received information about the vehicle that was reported stolen in Douglasdale, Gauteng province and was heading to the borderline separating South Africa and the Kingdom of eSwatini.”