Just after ending his 01:00-03:00 shift on the morning of December 24, Arthur Hill of the Dagpatrollie received an alert at 03:27, that a home on Colley Street had just been burglarised.
Rushing to the scene, it didn’t take long for him and other members of the Dagpatrollie to deduce that the suspects had gotten into the yard, made their way through the back of the property, and then opened the garage to break off and steal the home’s invertor and solar system from the wall. As well as the accompanying batteries.
After an in-depth and tireless search up-and-down the street, the Dagpatrollie found a wheelbarrow that contained the aforementioned stolen items, and a gas bottle belonging to another home owner.
Upon further investigation, it was found that four to six homes had been broken into on Colley Street and the nearby Hertzog Street.
Because the owner of the gas bottle could not be identified, the Dagpatrollie handed the item over to SAPS.
Although the two suspects were not found, because of the valiant work done by Hill and his team, the batteries, the invertor and the solar system were all returned to their rightful owner.
Hill told the Middelburg Observer that he believes the criminals used two stolen bicycles to escape the scene.
He also urges the public to be as vigilant as possible during this festive period, as homes are a prime target for these sorts of crimes.
He further emphasised that people must take their own safety seriously, and can do so by making sure that their garages and gates are closed at night.
“There is an alarming amount of houses standing with their garages and gates either completely or partially open. In order to prevent crime, action must be also be done on the part of the homeowner. We are looking to keep as many people safe as possible,” Hill said.
