POLOKWANE – Police in Limpopo executed 21 arrests for stock theft between April and June this year, according to the first quarter crime statistics.
Despite the arrests, it is unclear how many suspects have been successfully prosecuted.
The statistics, which show 579 cases of stock theft during the period, were announced by provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe last Tuesday at the police’s Limpopo headquarters.
Stock theft has recently left many domestic animal owners in areas including Moletjie, Matlala, and Mashashane frustrated, as several of their cattle, sheep, and goats have gone missing in recent weeks.
One such case was reported by Jan Phadima to the Seshego police last Tuesday. He said that 10 of his cows and their herder had not returned from grazing for two weeks.
In early August, unidentified goats and sheep were seen wandering in the streets of Seshego, believed to have been stolen.
Though stock theft has decreased by 37 cases compared to the same period last year, arrests remain limited.
On August 30, police received a tip-off about meat being sold from a house in Greenside along the Matlala Road.
Authorities found three people packaging meat in refuse bags and arrested Takutso Dube (31), Johannes Imbayo (38) and Mercy Masungiso (27).
They were charged with stock theft, malicious damage to property, and contravening the Immigration Act. The stolen meat, linked to two cattle taken from Moletjie Moshate, was seized along with a bakkie used for transport.
The trio remains in custody following their appearance in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday.
