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The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Limpopo police bust alleged car theft ring; stolen Porsche recovered
Limpopo police have arrested two men for allegedly faking their hijackings and colluding to strip and sell their vehicles for profit. Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed that the arrests came after a recent raid in Nirvana, Polokwane, where officers discovered a dismantled luxury vehicle. Ledwaba added that on July 9, during an intelligence-led operation, the Limpopo Tracking Team, in collaboration with private partners, recovered a stripped black Porsche Cayenne that had been reported stolen in May in the Zebediela policing area. "The high-end vehicle was already stripped for parts at a workshop located along Nelson Mandela Drive in Nirvana." He added that further searches uncovered a second stolen vehicle, a Toyota Tazz reported missing in October 2024 in the Seshego policing area, prompting police to deepen their investigation into the origins of the vehicles and the legitimacy of the reported cases. This led to the arrest of two suspects who had falsely reported their vehicles as stolen. "Two suspects, Paballo Masokameng, 37 years old, the alleged mastermind behind the Porsche case, and Emmanuel Boshomane, 37 years old, owner of the Toyota Tazz, were subsequently arrested. Both initially reported their vehicles stolen under false pretences," he said. Ledwaba revealed that Masokameng, the owner of the Porsche, had initially claimed he was hijacked by three unknown men after offering them a lift. However, investigations uncovered that he had staged the hijacking, stripped and sold parts of the vehicle, and delivered it to a workshop for dismantling. He was later arrested and has since appeared in court. "He was arrested and charged with fraud, perjury, and defeating the ends of justice. He appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, July 15 and is expected to appear again on Wednesday, 16 July 2025, for a formal bail application." Ledwaba added. Ledwaba further explained that the second suspect, Boshomane, a TVET College lecturer, was allegedly enlisted by Masokameng to stage the hijacking of his Toyota Tazz. The vehicle, reported stolen from Boshomane's home in Moletjie, Seshego, was later taken to the same workshop. Boshomane was also arrested and granted bail. "The workshop owner allegedly decided to buy the car instead, changed its colour, and altered its registration number plates…Boshomane was arrested and also charged with fraud, perjury, and defeating the ends of justice." He appeared in court on July 15, was granted R500 bail, and is expected back in court on 27 August." Mustafar Hussain, the 49-year-old Tanzanian workshop owner, was also arrested during the operation. Charged with possession of stolen vehicles, he appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on July 11. He remains in custody and is set to apply for bail on July 16. Meanwhile, Limpopo's Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has issued a stern warning to those who deliberately mislead law enforcement and abuse the legal system "We will uncover the truth, no matter how elaborate the scheme. Those involved in deceiving the police and attempting to benefit from insurance fraud will be arrested and prosecuted," she said. The Star [email protected]
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Limpopo police bust alleged car theft ring; stolen Porsche recovered
Police in Limpopo have cracked a scheme involving staged hijackings and vehicle stripping, resulting in the arrest of two men. Police in Limpopo have cracked a scheme involving staged hijackings and vehicle stripping, resulting in the arrest of two men. Limpopo police have arrested two men for allegedly faking their hijackings and colluding to strip and sell their vehicles for profit. Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed that the arrests came after a recent raid in Nirvana, Polokwane, where officers discovered a dismantled luxury vehicle. Ledwaba added that on July 9, during an intelligence-led operation, the Limpopo Tracking Team, in collaboration with private partners, recovered a stripped black Porsche Cayenne that had been reported stolen in May in the Zebediela policing area. "The high-end vehicle was already stripped for parts at a workshop located along Nelson Mandela Drive in Nirvana." He added that further searches uncovered a second stolen vehicle, a Toyota Tazz reported missing in October 2024 in the Seshego policing area, prompting police to deepen their investigation into the origins of the vehicles and the legitimacy of the reported cases. This led to the arrest of two suspects who had falsely reported their vehicles as stolen. "Two suspects, Paballo Masokameng, 37 years old, the alleged mastermind behind the Porsche case, and Emmanuel Boshomane, 37 years old, owner of the Toyota Tazz, were subsequently arrested. Both initially reported their vehicles stolen under false pretences," he said. Ledwaba revealed that Masokameng, the owner of the Porsche, had initially claimed he was hijacked by three unknown men after offering them a lift. However, investigations uncovered that he had staged the hijacking, stripped and sold parts of the vehicle, and delivered it to a workshop for dismantling. He was later arrested and has since appeared in court. "He was arrested and charged with fraud, perjury, and defeating the ends of justice. He appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, July 15 and is expected to appear again on Wednesday, 16 July 2025, for a formal bail application." Ledwaba added. Ledwaba further explained that the second suspect, Boshomane, a TVET College lecturer, was allegedly enlisted by Masokameng to stage the hijacking of his Toyota Tazz. The vehicle, reported stolen from Boshomane's home in Moletjie, Seshego, was later taken to the same workshop. Boshomane was also arrested and granted bail. "The workshop owner allegedly decided to buy the car instead, changed its colour, and altered its registration number plates…Boshomane was arrested and also charged with fraud, perjury, and defeating the ends of justice." He appeared in court on July 15, was granted R500 bail, and is expected back in court on 27 August." Mustafar Hussain, the 49-year-old Tanzanian workshop owner, was also arrested during the operation. Charged with possession of stolen vehicles, he appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on July 11. He remains in custody and is set to apply for bail on July 16. Meanwhile, Limpopo's Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has issued a stern warning to those who deliberately mislead law enforcement and abuse the legal system "We will uncover the truth, no matter how elaborate the scheme. Those involved in deceiving the police and attempting to benefit from insurance fraud will be arrested and prosecuted," she said. The Star
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Fake hijackings uncovered after stripped Porsche discovery in Nirvana
POLOKWANE – Two men who reported their vehicles hijacked have been arrested for allegedly staging the crimes and working together to have the vehicles stripped and sold for parts. The twist comes after the recent recovery of a stripped luxury Porsche Cayenne and a Toyota Tazz at a workshop in Nirvana, as reported by the Polokwane Review-Observer last week. Read more: PHOTOS: Stripped Porsche recovered in Nirvana chop shop raid The Porsche, reported hijacked in Zebediela in May, was found dismantled in a workshop in Nelson Mandela Drive on July 9, during a joint operation led by the Limpopo Tracking Team, Tracker Connect, and other private security partners. The Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said further investigations revealed that the vehicle's owner, Paballo Masokameng (37), had allegedly faked the hijacking. 'The suspect claimed he was robbed by three unknown men after offering them a lift, a story now exposed as false. Masokameng is accused of removing and selling parts of the Porsche himself before arranging for it to be transported to the Nirvana workshop for full stripping,' Ledwaba's statement read. He added that Masokameng was arrested and charged with fraud, perjury, and defeating the ends of justice and appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court yesterday. He returns to court today for a formal bail. In a connected case, Ledwaba said Emmanuel Boshomane (37), a TVET College lecturer, was also arrested for falsely reporting the hijacking of his Toyota Tazz, which was recovered at the same workshop. Ledwaba said Boshomane was persuaded by Masokameng to stage the hijacking and hand over the vehicle, which was later resprayed and fitted with false number plates. Boshomane was charged with fraud, perjury, and defeating the ends of justice. He was granted R500 bail on July 15, and is expected back in court on August 27. 'The workshop owner, Mustafar Hussain (49), a Tanzanian national, remains in custody. He is charged with possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles and is set to appear in court for a bail application tomorrow (July 16),' Ledwaba added. The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, has condemned the misuse of police resources. 'We will uncover the truth, no matter how elaborate the scheme. Those who attempt to deceive the police or commit insurance fraud will be arrested and prosecuted,' she said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- The Citizen
PHOTOS: Stripped Porsche recovered in Nirvana chop shop raid
POLOKWANE – A luxury black Porsche Cayenne, reported stolen, was found dismantled at a workshop in Nirvana, Polokwane, during an intelligence-led operation on Wednesday (July 9). The Limpopo police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said the operation was carried out by the Limpopo Tracking Team, in partnership with Tracker Connect, Tshimollo Security and Investigation, and Limpopo Tracking Security, after receiving information about suspicious activities at a workshop on Nelson Mandela Drive. Upon arrival, officers discovered the stripped Porsche in the workshop's backyard. 'Preliminary investigations confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen in May 2025 in the Zebediela policing area. A further search led to the recovery of a second stolen vehicle, a white Toyota Tazz, reported stolen in October 2024 in the Seshego policing area,' his statement read. Four suspects, aged between 35 and 49, were arrested at the scene. Ledwaba said among the suspects was a 49-year-old foreign national, who was also found to be in the country illegally. 'A charge of contravening the Immigration Act will be added to his docket. A case of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles has been opened at the Westernburg SAPS and the suspects are expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court today (July 11),' he said. The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the coordinated efforts that led to the breakthrough. 'The dismantling of high-end vehicles like this Porsche points to a well-organised criminal syndicate. We remain committed to dismantling these networks and ensuring justice is served,' she said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
11-07-2025
- IOL News
PICS: Stolen Porsche Cayenne found stripped and chopped in Polokwane workshop
Preliminary police investigations have confirmed the vehicle was stolen in May, in the Zebediela policing area Image: SAPS A luxurious Porsche Cayenne which was reported stolen in Limpopo has been found stripped and chopped into parts at a workshop at Nirvana, Polokwane, during an intelligence-driven operation conducted on Wednesday. The breakthrough led to the arrest of three suspects, including the owner of the workshop. Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the operation was executed by the Limpopo Tracking Team in partnership with Tracker Connect, Tshimollo Security and Investigation, and the Limpopo Tracking Security following intelligence about suspicious activities at a workshop situated on Nelson Mandela Drive in Nirvana. 'Upon arrival, the team found the high-end Porsche Cayenne already dismantled in the backyard of the workshop. Preliminary investigations confirmed the vehicle had been stolen in May 2025 in the Zebediela policing area,' said Ledwaba. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Preliminary police investigations have confirmed the vehicle was stolen in May, in the Zebediela policing area Image: SAPS A further search of the premises led to the recovery of a second vehicle — a white Toyota Tazz — which was reported stolen in October 2024 in the Seshego policing area. Three male suspects, aged between 35 and 49, were immediately apprehended. 'Among them is a 49-year-old foreign national who owns the workshop. He was found to be in the country illegally, and an additional charge for contravening the Immigration Act will be added,' said Ledwaba. A case of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles has been opened at Westenburg SAPS. The arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Friday. Provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the arrest. Hadebe also saluted the integrated efforts that led to the recovery of the stolen vehicles. "The dismantling of high-end stolen vehicles like this luxury Porsche indicates a well-organised criminal operation. We are determined to uproot such syndicates and bring perpetrators to justice," she said. Last year, IOL reported that the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) tactical response unit arrested a 40-year-old man for possession of a hijacked Volkswagen Polo, in the Etwatwa area. At the time, EMPD spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said when police officers pounced, the 40-year-old man was stripping the vehicle. A 40-year-old man was arrested for possession of a hijacked motor vehicle, a Volkswagen Polo, in the Etwatwa area. Image: EMPD
