A CIVILIAN working at the Westville SAPS helped arrest a wanted shoplifter today (Wednesday 3 September).
Petro van Rensburg, who works at the station as its logistics and supply chain clerk, who issues the SAPS members with everything from bullets to boots, had an experience that she will remember for a long time.
“A woman went into her office and asked for a blank SAP 69, which is a document generated off the national criminal database which shows what criminal convictions a person has.
“Of course, van Rensburg couldn’t issue such a document, especially a blank one, so she helpfully took the woman to see Detective W/O Thulani Dludla in his department,” said Sergeant Stephen Clark, media spokesman for Westville SAPS.
At the strange request, a suspicious Dludla then ran the woman’s ID number through the system to find that there was a warrant out for her arrest, and it was on one of his cases. The woman was wanted for numerous counts of shoplifting.
“The group commander, D/Captain Martin Magwaza, kind-heartedly congratulated van Rensburg on her first ‘arrest’ after more than 20 years’ service as a civilian in the SAPS,” said Clark.
Dludla admitted it was the easiest bust he had ever made.
