Bloemfontein - Police in Kagisanong in Bloemfontein have arrested five men and recovered about 14 sheep carcasses following a burglary at a local butchery, Free State police said on Saturday.
A business burglary was reported at a butchery in Rocklands, Bloemfontein, in the early hours of Friday morning, Sergeant Ikobeng Hlubi said.
“A few hours later the police had successful managed to crack the case.”
Following the report, police investigations revealed that some of the carcasses had already been sold to various people.
Five were found in Batho location, two in JB Mafora, two at a flat in town, and one more at Bloemanda “and they had already been chopped [up]”.
“Thanks to the good work by the shift that was on duty - constables Malefetsane Rahlathi and Neo Mokgethi - the suspects, aged between 28 and 57, are behind bars,” Hlubi said.
In a separate incident, Kagisanong crime prevention officers arrested a 44-year-old man after he was found in possession of fencing wire, iron rods, and droppers reported stolen at a farm on the N6 just outside Bloemfontein.
“The team - W/O Mogothi, [and] constables Mqwathi and Mokoena - quickly acted on a tip-off received and successfully managed [to] discover the items.”
All six arrested men were expected to appear in the magistrate’s court soon, Hlubi said.
Local police station commander Colonel Leepile Kakudi lauded the officers for their good work and said further arrests would be made - those who had bought the stolen goods.
“Any person who buys stolen goods is as guilty as the person who stole the goods; and harsh sentences will apply to both the buyer and the thief,” Kakudi said.
– African News Agency