Kidnapped Mokopane baby found unharmed, young couple arrested
The couple were nabbed on Saturday, 13 April at Ga-mphela village outside Polokwane.
MOKOPANE – The two suspects involved in this matter were arrested by a high level task team, during a sting joint operation conducted in Polokwane and the surrounding areas, led by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for the Crime Detection, Major General Samuel Manala.
In a statement released, Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe says the alleged child snatcher, a 17-year-old woman and her 23-year-old boyfriend, were nabbed at Ga-Mphela village outside Polokwane and the kidnapped baby was found in their possession unharmed.
Read more: Mokopane Police releases identity of alleged baby ‘snatcher’
“The infant has since been positively identified by the mother, however, DNA tests will still be conducted to confirm the identity of the baby,” he added.
This Provincial intervention follows the search operation by the Police in Mokopane for a woman who stole a six-week-old baby boy outside a Shoprite centre in Mokopane on 28 March.
According to an earlier report Ngoepe said the mother (24) had allegedly met an unknown woman in the shopping center and thereafter, walked with her while shopping. “The suspect offered to hold the baby so that the mother can eat. Later at about 13:40, they went to another supermarket, the suspect still carrying the baby and without the mother noticing, the suspect disappeared with the infant.”
The two arrested suspects will appear before the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 15 April, on a charge of child stealing, Ngoepe concluded.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended the team who worked tirelessly around the clock to ensure that these suspects are brought to book and for safely recovering the baby.
