Kloofendal Nature Reserve thefts believed to be inside job

Kloofendal Nature Reserve has long been one of the few refuges for nature lovers in Roodepoort.

Sadly it has come to the attention of the Record that in the past few months the reserve has become the target of criminals, some allegedly employees of City Parks.

The Record caught up with Karin Spottiswood, coordinator of Frok on 19 February, coincidently just after a visit to the Roodepoort Police Station regarding the most recent case. Spottiswood elaborates.

The first incident of theft was in October 2013 when goods were stolen from one of the lock-up facilities on the premises.

Since then there were incidents ranging from minor (electronic equipment being stolen from the centres on the premises) to major (car burglaries and a car theft in which an armed man was involved). The most recent being on 12 February.

“The only people who have keys to these centres are the guides and City Park employees. There usually is nothing of real value in the centres, so the thief had to be present and know that valuables were left there on the day. Again there was no sign of forced entry so the person must have had a key,” says Spottiswood.

Spottiswood says that it seems to be an inside job and called it “sad and unfortunate”. She did add though that they have a suspect and have handed over the detail to Roodepoort SAPS.

To read more about the extent of the crimes and the gang’s modus operandi read this week’s edition of the Record.