Limpopo police have successfully arrested three suspects after they were allegedly caught with a stolen Tractor-Loader-Backhoe (TLB) valued at approximately R850,000. The incident unfolded in Malipsdrift, Capricorn District, after an off-duty officer received a tip-off about a suspicious towing truck transporting the equipment.
The tip-off led to a quick response from the visible policing unit and detectives, who intercepted the truck late Sunday night on the Mathabatha to Lekgwareng Road. Upon questioning the driver and passenger, they were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the TLB. The suspects, aged 29 and 32, stated only that they had been hired to transport it, raising immediate suspicions.
Further investigation confirmed that the TLB had been stolen. Both suspects were arrested on the spot for business robbery and possession of stolen property. A third suspect, Josias Chauke Modiba, 26, was later apprehended with help from the local community.
The suspects, Puleng Hendrick Peta (29), Ronald Moratladi (31), and Modiba (26), appeared in Lebowakgomo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and are scheduled for a formal bail application on March 10, 2025.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, commended the police for their swift actions and praised the community for their collaboration with law enforcement, emphasizing how crucial public vigilance is in fighting crime.