Theft of Mandela coins hours after memorial service
Mandela coins among the goods stolen from a Lindhaven store.
Mere hours after the memorial service of former president Nelson Mandela was broadcast live, graded Mandela coins were stolen from a shop in Lindhaven.
The coins, worth around R6 000, were among other items including laptops, digital photo frames and watches stolen from Naxaplex Trading in Lindhaven.
At around 4.10am on Wednesday 11 December three thieves entered by breaking locks and bending the security gate of the shop on Progress Avenue. According to CCTV footage (that the Record viewed on scene) the process of bending the security gate and smashing a display cabinet at the front of the store to take the valuables took less than 10 minutes. A concerned customer alerted the owner at around 7.40am on Wednesday that the gate was open. The shop usually opens at 8am.
“They were in and out in just over five minutes – who could’ve stopped them?” the frustrated owner told two Roodepoort policemen on their arrival at 9.20am.
The owner estimates the loss and damages at around R40 000. He gave details of the stolen items to Constable Masinga and is to share the CCTV footage along with his customer documentation with the investigating officer at a later stage.
A docket for a case of theft was opened at the Roodepoort Police Station.
