Police have recovered a stolen Toyota Hilux Legend Edition double-cab bakkie worth R700 000 during an anti-smuggling operation on the N1 South outside Polokwane.
A 45-year-old man was arrested on Friday, 19 June 2026, after officers intercepted the vehicle. According to Cape Argus and Arrive Alive, police believe the bakkie was being moved through Limpopo toward the Beitbridge Port of Entry.
Stolen Toyota Hilux Stopped on N1 South
Police said the stolen Toyota Hilux was reported stolen in the Tshwane area before it was spotted near Polokwane.
According to Arrive Alive, the Provincial Tracking Team and Provincial Investigation Unit acted on intelligence about the bakkie. They worked with CAP Specialized, Tracker Connect, the Insurance Crime Bureau, Tshimollo Security and Investigation, and Shadow Secure Security.
The report said officers kept watch on the N1 South and stopped the bakkie near Shell Ultra City. Police said the vehicle was travelling at high speed when members identified it.
The driver was arrested at the scene. He faces a charge of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
Beitbridge Route Under Police Focus
Police believe the vehicle was being driven from Gauteng to Limpopo and was intended to be smuggled through the Beitbridge Port of Entry, according to Arrive Alive.
The Beitbridge route has featured in several Limpopo vehicle-smuggling cases. In June 2025, SAPS reported that its Limpopo Anti-Smuggling Task Team intercepted a stolen Toyota Corolla Cross near Polokwane after it was allegedly headed to Beitbridge.
In May 2025, Arrive Alive reported that Limpopo police recovered 12 stolen vehicles during anti-smuggling operations. Those vehicles included two Toyota Hilux bakkies, and all had been stolen or hijacked in Gauteng.
Police response and next court step
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe commended the teams involved in the latest recovery.
“This recovery demonstrates what we can achieve through intelligence-driven operations and strong partnerships between police and private security role players,” Hadebe said, according to Arrive Alive.
The 45-year-old suspect was expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 22 June 2026. Police said investigations were continuing.