Lothair – Police in Lothair intercepted a Toyota Hilux bakkie towing a trailer laden with suspected stolen cows.
When the bakkie was taken to the Lothair Police Station, one occupant jumped out and fled into the nearby bushy area.
Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said law enforcers acted on a tip-off police when they flagged down the bakkie on Monday, .13 July 2026.
The other occupant was arrested at the scene after he failed to produce documentation regarding ownership of the five cows crammed in his trailer.
Lieutenant Colonel Ndubane said the police used drones and dogs in their search for the fleet-footed suspect who fled, but they were unsuccessful.
She said the livestock, bakkie and trailer have been seized by the police while investigations continue.
It remained unclear if the transportation of the cows was in breach of strict restrictions on cattle movement imposed to curb the spread of the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease.
The arrested 26-year-old suspect will soon appear in the Chief Albert Luthuli Magistrate’s Court on a charge of stock theft.
