Keep an eye out for stolen fruit and produce
Several suspects have been arrested in conjunction with crop theft in the Kiepersol and Sabie Valley areas over the past few weeks, thanks to the combined efforts of security companies and local safety structures.
According to Joos van der Merwe of Spes-Plan, fruit such as avos and bananas, as well as valuable produce such as ginger, are being stolen by suspects, mostly turning out to be local farm workers. The goods are then transported to the edge of orchards, next to public tar and gravel roads. A vehicle picks them up, and the suspect disappears into the orchards as the vehicle drives away.
Community members are urged to contact the local safety structure, security company or police if they see someone loading bags into a bakkie, truck or taxi parked next to an orchard.
They should take care to describe the vehicle colour, make and model, registration number (if possible) and the exact location (close to which farm or turn-off on which road).
Van der Merwe says they send out an armed reaction vehicle to the scene and if the people in the vehicle can’t produce a receipt, they are arrested.
If the vehicle has already left the scene, its description can help security officers recognise the vehicle if they come across it and pull it over.
“We can only react in the areas close to Hazyview, but in this manner we have arrested several fruit thieves on the Kiepersol and Sabie roads over the past few days.”
Van der Merwe urges community members to contact the owner of the farm if they drive past a suspicious vehicle. This will enable the farm owner to identify workers that may have stolen the fruit. “Only if such workers are arrested and lose their job as a result, can crop theft be eradicated.”
People are urged not to confront the suspicious persons and stop at the vehicle, as this often results in workers escaping into the orchards preventing anyone from identifying them.
