Bedfordview serial shoplifter gets consecutive sentence

A serial shoplifter has received an extended sentence of three years for a shoplifting crime committed in Bedfordview about two years ago.

The woman in her 50s was recently convicted of the crime when Bedfordview Constable Detective Thabiso Selowa was re-assigned the case.

The case was initially filed under Selowa when he was still assigned to the crime office at the station.

“We were not aware that she was a repeating offender. After she was granted bail she failed to appear in court and that’s when a warrant of arrest was issued,” explained Selowa.

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His breakthrough occurred when the case was transferred to him within the wanted department recently.

Following up on the information that was gathered by the previous investigator, he discovered that the wanted suspect was incarcerated, serving a five-year sentence at Sun City prison for the same offence.

“Since I was familiar with the case I went back to tracing her using the info that the previous investigator gathered. That’s when I received a call from Sun City prison and was told that this person is serving time there.”

This prompted him to make a requisition with the courts to permit them to add to her sentence for her case in Bedfordview.

“After checking her profile I can confirm that shoplifting is the only offence she has been wanted for.

“She commits shoplifting then attends the first appearance then the minute she is granted bail she moves to a different area and commits the same offence again,” he said.

She shoplifted cosmetics products which vary in terms of value. In Bedfordview, the products she stole were valued at around R1 100.

It is alleged that she would steal these products for reselling purposes.

“When I was doing my follow-up regarding her case there was another investigative officer from a different station also doing the same for the same offence.”

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He said people shoplift for silly reasons. “People will give reasons that at the time they didn’t think clearly or they didn’t think they would get caught or that they needed the item.”

The harshest punishment a shoplifter can get depending on the value of the stolen items is up to 10 years according to Selowa.

He stated that people mostly target cosmetics stores, grocery stores and clothing items.

He thanked Sergeant Khanyisile Hlongwane for assisting with the case.

“At the time a person might think what they are doing is not a big deal but it can eventually turn out to be something big,” he said.

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The station’s communication officer, Sergeant Lillian Modiga, warned shoplifters and echoed Selowa’s sentiments.

“People take shoplifting lightly as if it is not a serious crime. From our side, we take it as a serious crime and it is treated as such.

“We are working on creating awareness especially at malls and shopping centres regarding shoplifting because it is a serious problem in our area,” she warned.