A MEMBER of the Richards Bay police station’s Local Criminal Record Centre has appeared in court, charged with theft.
He was arrested on Monday after reportedly being caught in the act of decanting diesel from a truck belonging to a local logistics company.
According to corporate investigator Hennie Homann, who effected the arrest of the policeman as well as the driver of the truck, he had come across the truck and a bakkie in a plantation area behind Alton.
‘Two young children were in the policeman’s private bakkie, which contained seven empty 25-litre drums. Five filled ones were on the ground.
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‘The truck’s engine was idling all the while and I made the driver switch it off before notifying his company and reporting the matter to the police,’ said Homann.
‘The bakkie was the policeman’s private vehicle.’
SAPS communications officer Capt Debbie Ferreira confirmed the arrest of Sgt SB Sithole, who appeared in the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday charged with theft.
The case was remanded to 6 February and bail was extended.
Among others, the LCRC is responsible for fingerprinting, forensic investigations and crime scene management.
Ferreira said Sithole’s case will be treated ‘no different to any other’, but added that internal departmental steps will also be taken as he is a serving police member.
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