Potchefstroom – Police have seized several truck trailers, vehicle parts, heavy-duty machinery, forklifts, signal jammers, and copper plates from a farm in Venterdorp.
The combined value of the suspected stolen property was estimated at R10 million.
Collaboration between Ventersdorp police, Rustenburg K9, and a security company led police to a farm in Ventersdorp on Friday, (28 March 2025).
“Initial police investigations indicated that a truck, loaded with R6 million worth of copper plates, was allegedly hijacked in Kwa-Zulu Natal in Escort a few days prior to this discovery,” said police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh.
“The truck was on the way to Durban harbour as the copper was earmarked to be exported and being monitored by the security company.”
The truck trailer was connected to another truck (horse), and the initial horse that was also hijacked was found abandoned next to the road shortly after the hijacking.
“Upon pouncing on the farm, some of the copper plates were already offloaded from the hijacked trailer and in the process of being cut into smaller pieces by heavy-duty machinery,” said Colonel Myburgh
“The police, during their search of the farm, discovered five more trailers that were hijacked in Alberton, Vosloorus, and Soweto in Gauteng.
“Four suspects, all males between the ages of 20 and 50 were arrested.”
They will appear before the Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Court for possession of suspected stolen property.
The case will be investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
The possibility of unearthing more cases against the accused cannot be ruled out.
The Acting Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, lauded the collaboration between the police and the security company that led to the success.
He emphasised that police cannot solve the crime without the active participation of members of the community, who are the eyes and ears of the police, in the fight against crime.
