Key Points:
- Police arrested a South African man who drove a stolen Toyota Corolla Cross near the Beitbridge border.
- He remains in custody as authorities profile him for additional offenses.
- Limpopo police recovered two stolen vehicles worth over R1.4 million.
Court Appearance and Investigation
A South African man appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court after police arrested him for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle toward Zimbabwe.
Police identified the suspect as Mikael Mlambo, 31. Brig. Hlulani Mashaba, the provincial police spokesperson, confirmed that Mlambo remains in custody. The court postponed his case to Monday next week for profiling.
Police investigations revealed that Mlambo is a South African citizen. They traced the stolen Toyota Corolla Cross to Pretoria Central, where someone had reported it missing earlier this month.
High-Speed Chase Ends in Arrest
On May 16, 2025, Limpopo’s Flying Squad officers received intelligence about a grey Toyota Corolla Cross. The SUV had been stolen earlier that month.
While patrolling the N1 South highway, officers spotted the vehicle. It was allegedly heading toward the Beitbridge port of entry at high speed.
Immediately, the officers launched a vehicle search. Eventually, they spotted the suspect near Polokwane.
They tried to pull him over. However, the driver refused to stop. Consequently, a high-speed chase began.
Police intercepted the vehicle at a traffic light in Nirvana. After stopping the SUV, they searched it and found a damaged tracking device inside.
Since Mlambo failed to provide proof of ownership, police arrested him immediately. Authorities charged him with possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
Cross-Border Vehicle Smuggling Crackdown
Meanwhile, Brig. Mashaba stated that this arrest formed part of a larger police effort to disrupt cross-border vehicle smuggling.
During the weekend, officers recovered two high-value stolen vehicles. These included a Toyota Corolla Cross and a Toyota Hilux GD-6. Both vehicles had a combined value of around R1.4 million.
In one case, officers from the SAPS Anti-Smuggling Team and private security firms intercepted a stolen Hilux on the R101 near the Polokwane weighbridge.
One male suspect escaped into nearby bushes. Two female suspects tried to flee, but officers caught them after a short foot chase.
Police arrested the women, aged 19 and 20. They now face charges for possessing a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
Police later confirmed that the Hilux had been stolen on May 16 from the Garsfontein policing area in Pretoria East.
In a separate operation, officers intercepted another Toyota Corolla Cross. They stopped it in Mokopane CBD on the R101. The SUV was also headed for the Beitbridge border.
Further investigation revealed that the vehicle had been stolen in the Wierdabrug area in Tshwane. Police arrested the 34-year-old undocumented foreign national who drove it.
These operations show a troubling pattern of transporting a stolen Toyota to Zimbabwe. Limpopo police are stepping up their efforts to stop it.
Police Commissioner Praises Efforts
Limpopo’s police commissioner, Lt. Gen. Thembi Hadebe, praised the teams involved. She emphasized their commitment to dismantling vehicle smuggling syndicates.
“These recoveries demonstrate how well intelligence-driven policing works,” said Hadebe. “We must maintain our momentum in fighting these cross-border crimes.”
By recovering the Toyota Corolla Cross and Toyota Hilux GD-6, police struck a significant blow to the syndicate’s operations.
Their efforts helped prevent criminals from successfully smuggling a stolen Toyota to Zimbabwe, reinforcing the region’s border security.
