LOUIS TRICHARDT – Two men were arrested on Wednesday on charges of theft out of a vehicle and malicious damage to property after an incident in which a minibus was set alight.

The burning wreck of the Toyota minibus was found on the intersection of Leeu Street and the Levubu road in Louis Trichardt.

According to the owner of the vehicle, Mr Itu Rasakenovo Semadi, he parked the vehicle at the intersection and left for Thohoyandou with his wife in another vehicle.

On his return he found the burned out minibus.

Eyewitnesses informed him that they saw two men in a bakkie approaching the minibus at approximately 01:00 on Wednesday morning. The two men removed several items from the minibus and then set it alight after having doused it with petrol.

Eyewitnesses described the vehicle and the two men, who were found some time later at a petrol station along the N1 at the northern entrance to the town.

According to the police parts of the damaged minibus and a can of petrol was found in their diesel vehicle.

They were arrested on charges of theft and malicious damage to property.