Steiltes burglars are caught and sentenced
The Nelspruit Regional Court recently sentenced two notorious Mbombela housebreakers to 12 years' imprisonment each.
The provincial police spokesperson, Brig Leonard Hlathi, said the court sentenced Phillip Kenneth Novela (29) for burglaries he had committed around the Steiltes and KaMagugu areas between 2019 and 2020.
Hlathi said Novela was successfully linked to 10 cases of burglaries by DNA and fingerprints.
“He broke into houses and stole laptops, televisions sets, cellphones and other items,” he said.
“It was also established he had transported the stolen items out of the country.”
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Novela was arrested and made his first court appearance on March 15. He was convicted on June 24 and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
Hlathi said the second case involved Allen August Nobela (32) who was also sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. Nobela had committed a series of burglaries, targeting houses in Steiltes and surrounding areas between 2015 and 2016.
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“Nobela was linked to four cases through fingerprints and DNA. It was also established that he had transported the stolen goods out of the country, too.”
Hlathi said the Nelspruit SAPS station commander, Maj Gen Dorah Xaba, has lauded the good work done by the police officials involved in bringing the two criminals to book.
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