GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - It was another very busy week for Graaff-Reinet SAPS, as 23 new cases of note were opened in the period from 8 to 16 October.
Seven of these cases were of theft.
Theft
The first incident took place on 29 September at Koebergville. The complainant left his residence at 09:00 and everything was in order. At 09:30 he returned and was informed by his cousin that two known suspects had been at the house and they removed a black Panasonic speaker, valued at R500. The suspects have not yet been arrested.
The second crime scene is in Santaville. The incident took place between 21 July and 6 October. According to the complainant, money was withdrawn from her bank account without her knowledge. A total amount of R2 900 was withdrawn over the period. The suspect is known, but not yet arrested.
The next incident took place on 10 October between 04:00 and 05:30 in Umasizakhe. While the complainant was preparing for work, he went to charge his cell phone in the lounge. When he was ready to leave he found that his cell phone was missing. The value of the cell phone is R1700. There are no known suspects at this stage.
Another incident involving cellphones took place in Santaville on 30 August at 13:00. According to the complainant, he placed two cell phones on the table inside his residence and then went outside to do the washing. When he came back he found the cell phones (valued at R1 000) missing. The suspect is known but has not yet been arrested.
Sometime between 28 September and 12 October, money was taken from the safe at Miems Hair Salon in Caledon Street. According to the complainant, she is saving money at her workplace, keeping it in the safe. The last time she counted the money, in September, the amount was R8500. When she recently wanted to add money to the current savings, she found that R4300 was missing. The suspect is known, but not yet arrested.
The next case involves theft from Pick n Pay in Church Street on 13 October at 17:50. According to the complainant, the suspect took a bottle of Richelieu brandy (priced at R310) from the shelf and walked pass the pay-point and out of the shop. The suspect is unknown, and the case is under investigation.
The final case of theft involves a bicycle stolen from a house in Santaville on 24 September at 06:15. The complainant alleges that he went to Narsing Street, and when he went back home, he found his bicycle, valued at R600, missing. The suspect is known to the complainant but has not yet been arrested.
Theft involving motor vehicles
There were three cases of theft involving motor vehicles.
The first took place between 15:00 on 6 October and 16:00 the next day, in Umasizakhe. According to the complainant, somebody unlocked the left door of the vehicle and stole a toolbox, valued at R1000. There are no known suspects.
n The second incident took place between 22:00 on 14 October and 00:25 the next day in Koebergville. According to the complainant, a friend of his was sleeping inside his vehicle and an unknown suspect came and took off three wheel caps from the car. The person sleeping in the vehicle did see the suspect, but will not be able to identify him. The value of the wheel caps amounts to R1500.
n A panel van was stolen from the street in front of the owner's home in Maynier Street during the night of 12 October. When the owner got up the next morning, he found his panel van had been stolen. The value of the vehicle is R60 000.
Residential burglary
Of concern to those living in the area will be the six cases of residential burglary reported during the week.
The first took place on 6 October at 04:00 in Zammaville. The complainant alleges that the suspects broke the door to gain entrance to his residence. A cell phone, charger, cash, knife and watch were stolen, with a total value of R2 100. The suspects are known to the complainant, but not yet arrested.
The second incident took place on 13 October at 03:30 in Oval Drive. The complainant was sleeping when two unknown men entered her residence by forcing open a window. They took a DVD player, clothing and groceries to the value of R4 000.
The next incident happened in Umasizakhe, between 22:20 on 13 October and 07:30 the next morning. According to the complainant, when she went to bed, everything was locked, but when she woke up the following morning, she found the door to the flat open and her Defy washing machine worth R3 300 was gone.
Two suspects were caught stealing bales of lucerne from a shed at Gelukslande on 14 October at 16:30. The suspects appeared in court on 16 October.
The next incident occurred in Nieu-Bethesda. The back door of a house in Martin Street was forced open and groceries to the value of R3 592 were stolen. This happened sometime during the night of 13 October.
The final residential burglary took place in Santaville on 7 October between 16:00 and 20:30.
According to the complainant, he went to Asherville with some friends, after locking his house. When he returned, he found that the door had been forced open and his television and DVD player to the value of R3 000 had been stolen. The suspect is known, but not yet arrested.
Business burglaries
There were also two business burglaries.
The first occurred at one of the museum buildings in Church Street, between 17:00 on 9 October and 08:00 the next morning. According to the complainant, he locked the museum before going home and when he opened it the next day, he noticed the front window was broken. Upon further investigation, he found that a computer had been stolen, valued at R10 000.
The second, at Union High School in Donkin Street, occurred sometime between 14:15 on 12 October and 11:30 on 14 October. The suspect or suspects gained entrance through the administration office's door, then broke open the walk-in safe. They then opened another safe (in the walk-in safe) with a grinder and threw items on the floor. The alarm system was also broken. Thus far it has been ascertained that one laptop is missing, valued at R10 000.
Malicious damage to property
There were two cases of malicious damage to property, one in town and one in Nieu-Bethesda.
The first occurred on 9 October between 19:00 and 21:21 in Church Street, in front of Goldrush Casino. When the owner returned to her vehicle, she saw that there was a dent in the fender, as well as the bumper, and the windscreen was cracked. The damage is estimated at R5 000.
The second incident took place on 12 October at 10:15 at Graham Street, Nieu-Bethesda. The complainant's door was damaged by three known male suspects, who kicked the door with their feet. The damages amount to R950. Three arrests were made.
Two cases of stock theft were also reported. A cow was allegedly removed from the kraal at the Waste Transfer Station on 10 October at 14:00. The animal, valued at R9 500, was slaughtered at the dumping site.
The second incident took place between 17:00 on 12 October and 08:00 on 14 October at the Mandela Municipal grounds in Graaff-Reinet. According to the complainant, two goats were taken from the kraal. One goat was left in an open field near the grounds. A piglet was also taken from the kraal. The total value of the animals is R2 000.
Robbery
The final case of the week is one of robbery with a weapon other than a firearm.
The incident took place on 12 October at 18:00 at the train bridge near the graveyard, near the SPCA. The complainant was on his way home when six unknown men approached him, armed with knives. One of the men stabbed him in the head and he was also kicked in the face.
The suspects took clothing, shocks and groceries to the value of R3 000. A witness will be able to identify the suspects if he sees them again. The case is still under investigation, and there have been no arrests to date.
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