On 13 June 2024, a 25-year-old hitchhiker reported that he was hiking along D21 road, close to Mahlakung Mall in the Sekororo area, when a motorist travelling in a white Toyota Avanza robbed him of his belongings at gunpoint.
The second incident, which occurred on December 8, 2024, in the Maake policing area along D21 road, involved the same white Toyota Avanza allegedly robbing a 26-year-old lady who was at this hiking location. The manhunt is still ongoing.
On 10 December 2024 at about 14:30 the search for this driver of a white Toyota Avanza was intensified when Mopani District Tracking Team together with Tzaneen Crime Intelligence conducted an operation mainly targeting these hitchhikers robbery suspect.
The car was halted after it was seen cornered on the D21 route in Botshwana village. After permission to search was granted, the following items were discovered: four smart cellphones, new clothes, female handbags, bank cards, identity documents, and driver’s licenses belonging to various individuals; a 9mm black firearm with three rounds of ammunition under the driver’s seat was discovered wrapped in a black socks; and two 7,65 live rounds were discovered in his pocket. It is believed that all of these items belong to hitchhikers who were robbed at gunpoint.
The suspect could not provide the SAPS members with a license to be in possession of a firearm and ammunitions. The 36-year-old suspect was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of ammunitions, possession of suspected stolen properties. The Toyota Avanza was also seized for further investigation.
The suspect will appear soon in the Magistrate Court.
Members of Mopani District Tracking Team and Tzaneen Crime Intelligence were applauded for a job well done in tracking this robbery suspect of hitchhikers. Residents are sternly warned to refrain from hiking but use the taxi ranks to reach their destination safe.
