A Riverpark man was granted R1 000 bail by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court pending further investigation for alleged theft from houses.
The 34-year-old accused is alleged to have stolen money and personal items from three homes he had worked at while he was an employee of a house repair company.
The company had dismissed him before the thefts. The accused seemingly targeted homes he knew the company was still to complete some repair work.
At 9am on 29 April, he got in a Sandhurst home, claiming that he had been sent by the company to complete roof repairs. The domestic worker let him in but later heard a noise in the main bedroom’s bathroom while the door was closed. She went there and found the suspect who claimed to be fixing the windows. The maid left and the suspect then left at 1.30pm.
The home owner’s wife arrived at 5pm and found jewellery worth R300 000 missing. She reported it to the company which, after being given the accused’s description, told the homeowner it was the same man who had been dismissed three weeks earlier.
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On 13 May, he was let into a Craighall home by a maid after claiming to have been sent by the same company to complete fixing windows. The homeowner was informed by the maid of the accused’s presence and he called the company which denied sending the man, saying he had been dismissed for theft. On arrival, the homeowner found the accused had left, and jewellery as well as €60 missing.
At noon on 25 May, the accused went to a Senderwood home, claiming to have been sent by the company to do roof work.
The company owner was informed but again denied sending anyone. The homeowner went to his house where he found the accused. Police were called and he was arrested before he got into the house or could steal anything.
