Cat burglar on the prowl
A man, whom some have dubbed Mbombela's own "Pink Panther", who is alleged to be a cat burglar with an expensive taste for upmarket jewellery, has been arrested.
Stephan Kloppers (22) appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on two charges of theft and housebreaking.
The Mbombela resident was allegedly targeting a complex in the Steiltes area and gained access to two residences by sneaking through their bathroom windows.
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Theft and housebreaking charges were reported to the city’s police. It is estimated that jewellery valued at R548 000 was stolen from the Heuwelsig Complex, on April 29 and May 14. Kloppers had allegedly been staying in the vicinity where the burglaries occurred.
WO Gerrie le Grange, Mbombela’s own “Inspector Clouseau”, arrested Kloppers on July 23 and linked him to other cases of theft via fingerprint identification.
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The alleged cat burglar had an outstanding warrant of arrest for housebreaking in Potchefstroom and is currently also facing jewellery theft charges in the Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court.
The pending matter in Lydenburg was postponed to August 5, for further investigation.
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Le Grange also stated that the accused was convicted in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court and found guilty on similar charges committed in or around Walmer, in the Eastern Cape, for which he received a suspended sentence.
Kloppers might possibly also be linked to another case of theft based on fingerprints found at the scene near Ngodwana, for which he still has to be arrested and charged.
The two incidences of theft and housebreaking in Mbombela were combined into a single charge sheet and the accused was remanded in custody, until August 19.
