Stolen goods seized from Wentworth buyer
Police crack down on buying stolen goods.
POLICE warn residents to stop fuelling the illegal trade in stolen items, after they arrested a man in Wentworth in possession of R12,000 worth of stolen goods.
On Thursday, 23 October Lieutenant Lynton Houston and Constable Brandin Naidoo of Wentworth SAPS crime prevention were told about a man believed to be in possession of a laptop, which had been stolen in a housebreaking.
The officers found the man at a home in Pelias Place, Austerville. They explained why they were there and told him to declare all the items he had just bought. He told them he had bought a laptop from the same man from whom he had previously bought an electric drill, lead light and electrical circular saw.
The man, he claimed, lived in Wiest Road and had charged him R210 for the goods. The officers arrested the man on charges of possession of property suspected to be stolen and receiving stolen property. They also seized the drill, light and saw valued at R4,000 and the laptop valued at R8,000.
Police expect to arrest the man who sold the stolen items soon, as he is known to them and an arrest is expected soon. They warn residents not to buy merchandise they believe to be stolen. “Doing so promotes a black market as criminals break into houses to steal in order to sell to the community. Rather buy all your items at a registered dealer or shop where a proof of receipt will be issued. Anybody whose property was stolen can come to Wentworth SAPS to identify the tools that were seized. They should bring proof of purchase or receipts,” said Wentworth SAPS communications officer, Lieutenant Gumede.
