Two arrested after 35 stolen sheep found stacked on bakkie

Two men were arrested in Navalsig, Free State, on Friday night after police found 35 stolen sheep tied up and stacked on top of each other in their bakkie.

The two suspects, aged 40 and 47, were detained after members of the Navalsig police station, Bloemfontein flying squad, the stock theft unit, security companies and the local neighbourhood watch combined to search for the men.

A case of possession of suspected stolen property was opened at the Navalsig police station.

After the owner of the sheep was identified and traced, the livestock were handed back to her.

“The 47-year-old farmer reported that 65 sheep were stolen from her smallholding,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane.

ALSO READ: Limpopo police rescue ‘stolen’ goats stashed in car boot

The first suspect was arrested while driving a Silver Daihatsu sedan nearby.

The owner of the white Nissan bakkie was then arrested after information led the search team to a property in Bloemside Phase 10.

“The owner of the White Nissan LDV was then arrested in possession of six of the stolen sheep of which two were found dead,” said Covane.

The suspects will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 28 March 2022.

Farmers accuse cops of not caring about stock theft

The arrests come after the Free State Agriculture’s (FSA’s) Rural Safety Committee in September 2021 said they were concerned that police did not regard stock theft as a priority crime.

Dr Jane Buys, a safety risk analyst at the FSA, said farming communities in the area had reported losses of up to R10 million per year.

“High-risk areas include Brandfort, Ladybrand, Heilbron, and Fouriesburg. They are currently under great pressure due to increases in stock theft,” said Buys.

Border towns along the Lesotho border, in particular, had experienced a drastic increase in stock theft.

“Stock theft is an organised crime that is run by syndicates,” said Buys.

Additional reporting by Narissa Subramoney