The man arrested for a residential burglary on August 17 by the Bedfordview SAPS and Chubb Security, was re-arrested on September 1 in connection with a similar charge.
According to the Bedfordview SAPS spokesperson, Sergeant Mduduzi Nhlabathi, the man was arrested in possession of goods he could not account for.
“Officers on patrol around Klopperpark received a complaint through the sector cellular phone from a man who noticed two suspicious-looking men carrying carrying black plastic bags. The suspects were walking along Welkom Road,” he said.
One of the arresting officers, Constable Ernest Maswanganye, said they found the suspects at the corner of Kruin and Barbara roads.
“We stopped the men and asked to search them. They were in possession of electrical appliances, jewellery, designer sunglasses and a jersey. They could not prove ownership,” he said.
Const Maswanganye said after they arrested the men, the owner of the items arrived at the Bedfordview Police Station to report a case of residential burglary.
“The complainant identified the items found on the suspects as those stolen from his house,” said Const Maswanganye.
The chairperson of the Bedfordview Community Policing Forum (BCPF), Mr Gavin Henry, said he was frustrated to hear about another criminal arrested by the SAPS only to be set free to commit more crime. “The impression is often created that it is the SAPS who sets these criminals free, when it is in fact our criminal justice system. It is clearly the SAPS that catches these guys and it affects officers’ morale negatively when their hard, and often dangerous, work is laid to waste. The frustration it creates in the community also results in increasing calls for the police to use more deadly force when dealing with criminals, which would open the door to untold abuse,” said Mr Henry.
He said he wanted to assure the police that the BCPF celebrates every success with them.
