GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Except for an attempted rape and a case of fraud, all the crime reported in Graaff-Reinet in the week from 20 to 26 February was related to property, with many cases of theft.

• In the attempted rape case, according to the victim, she was at home with the suspect on 23 February between 15:00 and 16:00 at Umasizakhe, when he tried to force himself on her. The 55-year-old woman pushed him away, but the suspect got hold of her and tried to undress her; that is when the victim started to scream and a family member came to her rescue. The suspect has been arrested.
• The fraud incident took place on 20 February at about 09:30 at FNB, in Church Street. According to the complainant, she sent the suspect to the ATM to withdraw money, but although he got the confirmation receipt from the ATM, he never got the money. The amount involved is R890.
• There was a serious case of stock theft as a large number of Dorper ewes were stolen over the period from 22 November last year and 1 February this year from a farm in the Graaff-Reinet district. The name of the farm has been withheld due to the fact that the value of the ewes stolen is R96 000.
• There were two cases of robbery. On 24 February at 10:30 the complainant was at the hiking spot on the Jansenville road. An unknown male approached her, took out a knife and then took the complainant’s bag (containing clothing) before fleeing the scene. In the second case, at 11:15 on 21 November last year, the complainant was on her way home to Umasizakhe when three males passed her. They suddenly turned around, grabbed her by the neck and threatened her with a knife. The suspects took her bag, as well as her cell phone before running away. The value of stolen items is R5 000.
• In the first of eight reported cases of theft, the complainant alleges that some of his employees took material (PVC nylon, about 3m) from the business and hid it under garbage. This took place on 20 February at about 08:00 in Church Street.
• According to the complainant in the second case, he was with the suspect at 20:00 on 16 February when a money transfer was done from the complainant to the suspect. The suspect also assisted the complainant to set up pin codes for his (the complainant’s) wife. During this time, the suspect had to memorise the codes and went on to withdraw an amount of R1500 later on. This happened at ABSA bank, in Church Street. The suspect has not yet been arrested.
• The next incident took place on 21 February at about 16:00 at Te Water Naudé Street. According to the complainant, he was in Somerset Street, when two unknown males came from behind and grabbed his wallet (containing R600 cash) from him before fleeing the scene.
• In another case, at 13:40 on 22 February the suspect walked into a shop in Caledon Street and after a few minutes when he was about to leave, the sensor at the door went off. The complainant asked the suspect to go to the back of the shop to search him, but the suspect ran away with clothing he had hidden to the value of R1 000.
• According to the complainant in the next case, the suspect stole his wallet, which was inside complainant’s vehicle, with a cash amount of R4 000 in it. This took place on 23 February at about 23:00 in Santaville.
• The next incident took place in Umasizakhe on 23 February, between 12:00 and 18:40. According to the complainant, he was relaxing with his friends. They used his cell phone to play music and he left it with them when he went to a nearby house to buy cigarettes. When he returned, he noticed that the music was no longer playing and when he asked about his cell phone, his friends claimed that he had taken it with him. The value of the phone is R500.
• The local SPCA was the victim in the next case. According to the complainant, he was doing his rounds and found that a silver gate and some wire fencing were missing from the property.
• The final incident of theft took place between 16:00 on 24 February and 07:00 the next day, at a house in Park Street. According to the complainant, the suspect was supposed to come and do a job at his home, but according to the domestic worker, the suspect only came in and then left after a few minutes. The complainant noticed later on that his skill saw was missing. The value of the stolen item is R1 400.

There were also two cases of theft out of a motor vehicle.

• On 20 February, at 14:30, the complainant parked her vehicle in Caledon Street and went to do some shopping. When she returned, she found that the bakkie had been broken into at the back and toiletries to the value of R800 had been stolen. The suspects in this case are known, but not yet arrested.
• The second case was outside a home in Asherville. The complainant parked his vehicle in front of his residence at 23:45 on 24 February. When he went to his vehicle again at 07:45 the next morning, he found that his MP3 player and an amplifier had been stolen from the locked vehicle.

There were five residential burglaries.

• The complainant in the first case saw an unknown man with a bicycle and a bag leaving the crime scene in Naude Street at 11:15 on 22 February.
• The second incident took place on 23 February between 00:30 and 02:10 at Riemvasmaak, Graaff-Reinet. According to the complainant, his home was broken into by using garden tools, and groceries and toiletries were stolen, to the value of R2 300. A suspect has been arrested.
• On 23 February, between 08:00 and 11:00, SAPS members of Nieu-Bethesda received a complaint of “Burglary in Progress”. On arrival at the scene, SAPS members found a suspect in possession of airtime and cash (total value R1 550). The suspect has not yet been arrested, as the case is still under investigation.
• The next incident took place between 20:00 on 22 February and 02:30 on 23 February, in Umasizakhe. According to the complainant, a window of his house was forced open and a television and takkies stolen, valued at R1 500.
• In the last case, the complainant went to sleep at 21:00 on 23 February at his home in Umasizaake, and all doors and windows were secure. The next morning, when he got up at 06:45, he noticed that his home had been broken into and a television, shoes and groceries, value R4 000, were missing.
• There was also a business burglary at the Graaff-Reinet Golf Club.
  According to the complainant, he left the Golf Club on 23 February at about 23:30 and everything was in order, but when he returned at 07:45 the next morning, he noticed a window had been forced open. Sweets and liquor to the value of R1 500 had been stolen
• The final case for the week is of house robbery. On 22 February at 00:33 the complainant was asleep at his home in New Location, Umasizakhe when he was awakened by someone kicking the door open. Five men entered his room and demanded his property. Suspects took a cell phone and a wallet (value R2580) before fleeing. The case is still under investigation.

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