GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - There have been many property-related crimes this week in Graaff-Reinet, including five cases of theft out of a motor vehicle.

• The first incident took place on 22 October between 14:00 and 14:45 in Parsonage Street. The complainant parked his vehicle in front of Parsonage Street Home, locked the doors and left. When he went back just a few minutes later, he saw the passenger door slightly ajar. There was no sign of forced entry. His Samsung Galaxy S8 cell phone, which had been lying on the seat, was missing. The value of the phone is R15 000. There are no suspects at this stage.

• In the second case, the complainant parked his vehicle outside Spar, in Caledon Street, on 31 October at 13:41. When he came back to the vehicle a little later, he found that the vehicle’s driver’s door was open and his cell phone, a Samsung S9 to the value of R20 000, had been stolen. A suspect has been arrested.

• The third incident took place on 1 November at 01:45 in Church Street. According to the complainant, the suspect opened the toolbox on the vehicle and stole motor oil and a jack to the value of R2100. The suspect was later apprehended by SAPS, and the case is under investigation.

• Another cellphone was taken from a vehicle parked in Caledon Street on 31 October, between 16:30 and 17:00. The complainant locked her vehicle’s doors before entering the shop, but when she came back, she found the door unlocked and a Sony Xperia cell phone had been stolenvalued at R7200. There are no known suspects at this stage.

• In the final case, the complainant’s vehicle was parked in Parsonage Street between 16:00 on 5 November and 08:00 the next morning. During this time, the rear window was removed and a navigation system, binoculars, as well as cutlery were stolen with a total value of R7500.

Robbery
There were also six cases of robbery, and in most of these, a knife was used.

• The first case, of common robbery (ie with no weapon), took place on 28 October at 17:00 at New Location in Umasizakhe. The complainant and her friend were on their way home when the suspect approached them and searched the complainant. He robbed her of R20 cash and her ID document. The suspect is known to the complainant but has not yet been arrested.

• The second incident, also of common robbery, took place on 31 October at 15:15 at the ATM outside ABSA bank. According to the complainant, an unknown man grabbed his bank card and withdrew cash to the amount of R3200. The case is under investigation.

• On 29 October at 18:40, a man was on his way home from the shops when two men, known to him, approached him. One of the men started to go through the complainant’s pockets and took R7 off his person. The other suspect hit him with a golf club over the head and arm. The incident took place at Riemvasmaak, Kroonvale. The suspects have not yet been arrested.

• On 2 November at about 20:40, the complainant was walking in Rivier Street when two men approached him, took out a knife and demanded his cell phone and wallet. The combined value of the phone and cash is R3 000. The suspects are unknown at this stage

• Also on 2 November, at about 12:45, a woman was walking in Plasket Street when a man approached her and put a knife against her neck. He then took her cell phone, worth R1 000

• In the final case of robbery, the complainant was at Collie Koeberg Sports Complex on 1 November at about 22:10 when two suspects threatened him with a knife and took two cell phones, handcuffs and a torch to the value of R3000.

Theft
During the same period, there were no less than ten cases of theft.

• In the first case, according to the complainant, somebody cut and stole netting at the nursery in Murray Street to the value of R500. The incident took place on 29 October at 08:00.

• During the period between 20 October and 1 November, the complainant in the second case parked her vehicle in her garage in Church Street. When she returned back, she found that brassware to the value of R1 000 was missing.

• The next incident took place on 31 October at 19:50 at Gousblom Street, Asherville. According to the complainant, he was sitting inside the building, watching television. The shack was not locked at the back, and the suspect entered his room and stole money to the value of R1 000. The suspect is known to the complainant but has not yet been arrested.

• The next crime scene is at Sobukwe Street, Umasizakhe and the incident happened on 31 October at 18:00. The complainant placed her bank card inside the house and went outside to make a fire. When she returned a little later on, she found her ID and bank card had been stolen. An amount of R770 was withdrawn at Capitec Bank.

• Another banking incident took place on 1 November at 14:35 at Nedbank, in Caledon Street. The complainant was informed by a colleague that the office and safe keys were not where she normally left them. The complainant later checked the CCTV camera, and saw an unknown male entering the bank and taking the keys. The suspect has been arrested.

• According to the complainant, a door was stolen at the business premises (Stinkdraai) where he was posted as a security guard at 03:30 on 2 November. The value of the door is R500.

• The next theft occurred on the farm Dream Quest. The complainant alleges that on 3 November at about 14:00, he was watching television. When he later went to check outside to see if everything was in order, he noticed that a solar panel to the value of R1000 was missing.

• In the next case, the suspect entered Liquor Land on 4 November at 13:30 took a bottle of liquor to the value of R71, and left the shop without paying. The suspect did return the bottle to the shop at a later stage. The case is still under investigation.

• A Brow Keyser smoking pipe, valued at R5 000, was taken in the next case, in Murray Street. On 5 November at 11:45, the suspect asked the complainant for food. While the complainant went to go and fetch some, the suspect stole the complainant’s pipe, put it in his pocket and left.

• The last case of theft took place between 4 July and 23 October at Montego Pet Nutrition. According to the complainant, six iPhones were stolen out of the safe during this period. The value of the iPhones is R108 000. There are no known suspects at this stage, but the case is still under investigation.

Residential burglary
There were three cases of residential burglary in this period.

• In the first, the complainant left her home at Tweefontein farm on 2 November at 08:00. When she returned on 4 November at 17:00, she found that her home had been broken into. Entrance was gained through the front door, and clothing, food and an airgun to the value of R20 000 was stolen.

• The second incident took place in Circle Drive between 22:00 on 16 October and 08:10 on 18 October. When the complainant returned to his home, he found that his door was open and upon investigation, he found that meat, groceries and tools to the value of R4700 had been stolen. There is a possible suspect, but the case is still under investigation.

• In the final case, according to the complainant, his house in Lang Street, Santaville, was broken into between 20:00 on 4 November and 06:30 the next morning. A jigsaw, drill and planer were stolen to the value of R2400.

Stock theft
There were two cases of stock theft opened.

• The first incident took place between 08:30 on 26 October and 08:00 on 30 October on the farm Irene. According to the complainant, the suspect or suspects took 13 merino sheep from the grazing camp and loaded them onto a vehicle. The value of the sheep is R25 000.

• There are possible suspects in the second case, which took place on 3 November at 06:00 at Blom se Kamp. The fence to the grazing camp was cut and a goat to the value of R3500 slaughtered not far from the camp. The case is still under investigation.

• A case of shoplifting was reported at Pep Stores in Caledon Street. According to the complainant, the suspect took clothes and hid them in her handbag, as well as on her person, and passed the pay point without paying. The value of the stolen items is R760. The incident took place on 3 November at 10:00. The suspect has been arrested.

Malicious damage to property
On 4 November, between 08:00 and 09:25, a serious case of malicious damage to property occurred at Allied View, Umasizakhe. The complainant was sleeping in his truck, and woke up when he felt a liquid being poured on him. He saw his wife with an empty 5l container which had been full of petrol, and realised that this was the liquid that she had poured on him. He tried to push her away, but she bit him and managed to set the truck alight. He was able to extinguish the fire, but the damage was already done, amounting to R100 000. The suspect has not yet been arrested, as the case is still under investigation.

Fraud
The final case opened in Graaff-Reinet case is one of fraud. On 16 January, the complainant responded to an advertisement placed on Facebook where the suspect advertised a freezer for R2500. The complainant transferred the money to the suspect’s account via EFT and up to date she has not yet received the freezer. The case is under investigation, and no arrests have yet been made.

Willowmore
There were three cases of interest reported by the Willowmore police.

• The first, of theft, took place on 29 October at 17:00 in Victoria Street. According to the complainant, some of his belongings (iron bars and a hose pipe) in the back of his yard went missing. The value of the items is R4000.

• There was also a case of kidnapping. According to the victim, her son held her hostage between 20:30 on 3 November and 04:00 the next day, in her own home. He assaulted her and threatened to kill her or burn the house down with both of them inside. The incident took place in 1st Avenue. The suspect has been arrested.

• The final case, of stock theft, took place between 18:00 on 3 November and 17:15 on 5 November on the farm Zuurberg. According to the complainant, he was carrying out his duties on the farm when he saw sheep entrails in the field. He went to report the incident to the owner of the farm and together they later found the sheep’s carcass in the field. The value of the sheep is R5 000.

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