Frank Maponya

Frank Maponya

A Botswana national who had visited a relative in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, woke up to find police returning his car that was stolen while he was asleep.

Police said they spotted a suspicious looking car travelling with its lights off on the road on Saturday at about 4.30am.

Spokesman for the Waterberg area police, Captain Gabashane Moseki, said the police were patrolling the township when they came across the car, adding that when the occupants of the car saw that the police had noticed them, they sped off.

"But we caught up with the car."

She also said the four occupants ran in different directions. One of the suspects was shot in the back and is in a stable condition at a local hospital under police guard.

Two of the suspects were arrested, and the third was caught in a hide-out after a tip-off on Sunday.

The three suspects will appear in the Bela-Bela magistrates' court today and the fourth will only go to court after recovering from his injuries.