GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - On 8 November at around 07:20, personnel of the Graaff-Reinet Department of Health: Forensic Pathology Services became aware that fuel to the value of R5 000 had been stolen during the night of 7 and 8 November.
This fuel was intended for the generator during load shedding to keep the facility running.
The criminals gained access through a storage room on the premises of the mortuary where the fuel was stored. A case of business break-in was opened the same day and is being investigated by Graaff-Reinet Police.
Capt André Beetge, spokesperson for the police, says that the very next day, 9 November at around 09:50 the personnel of the mortuary realised that two stainless steel body pans to the value of R40 000 were also missing.
Later that day the Graaff-Reinet police were notified by a local scrapyard owner that two men were trying to sell the pans.
The police immediately reacted to the call and caught the two suspects, Shane Sylvester (27) and Denwill Bantom (30) red-handed.
The accused made their first court appearance on 10 November on a charge of possession of stolen property. As the case develops, additional charges of house break-in will be added. They will appear in the Graaff-Reinet court again on 13 December.
Fortunately, the theft did not negatively affect the service delivery as the facility always has low numbers of bodies and no complaints from the public were received.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
