WESTERN CAPE - Rural safety and effectiveness in partnership policing were on full display when police and farm watches joined forces in swift response to a stock theft incident reported on a Mossel Bay farm. The response landed a duo behind bars and the recovery of stolen sheep.
On Friday, 30 December 2022 members attached to the Kwanonqaba Crime Prevention unit, Oudtshoorn Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit in conjunction with various farm watches embarked on an operation after a suspicious red vehicle was spotted leaving a farm in the vicinity. Police members pursued the vehicle, a red Toyota Corolla during a chase along the N2 highway towards Mossel Bay. In an attempt to evade police the vehicle left the road, however it was brought to a halt when one occupant disembarked and fled the scene on foot. A search conducted on the vehicle led to the recovery of 5 sheep on the back seat and boot of the vehicle.
Police arrested one occupant found at the scene. The second suspects, allegedly the driver of the vehicle, freedom was short-lived after detectives assigned to the matter tracked him down, yesterday 01 January 2023 and arrested him.
The pair, 21 and 33, remains in police custody. They are expected to make their first court appearance in the Mossel Bay Magistrates’ court on Tuesday, 03 January 2023 on a charge of stock theft.
In an unrelated incident, on 28 December 2022 members of the Kwanonqaba police responded to information about a Volkswagen Golf which dropped of cattle at a residence at Kwanonqaba. Upon arrival at the premises they found four men slaughtering a sheep. The foursome were taken into custody and one, a 57-year-old man, charged with possession of stolen property and stock theft. The stolen sheep was later linked to a farm in the area.
Both cases are being probed by the Oudtshoorn Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit.
Western Cape police management lauded the collaboration with farm watches in the rural sector as well as the team for their persistence to arrest the perpetrators. These arrests are part of concerted efforts by police to eradicate stock theft which threatens farming community as well as the economy of this region.
Source: South African Police Service