Thieves targeting hardware stores behind bars after caught with heroin
Three thieves caught on camera stealing from a hardware chain-store were recently caught – in possession of drugs.
Three suspected thieves, who could be connected to various shoplifting incidents at hardware stores, are in the boiling pot after they were caught with drugs worth an estimated street value of R13 000.
United Bodyguards & Security tracked down the three suspects, two men and a woman, on Thursday.
The security company’s CEO Wesley Roux said that the three accused had been plaguing stores in the north of Pretoria.
“The owner of a hardware chain-store contacted us. These thieves had stolen from several of his store’s branches,” said Roux.
Roux explained that he had recognised one of the thieves, caught on a store’s security camera, as a man wanted by the police.
“Police had been searching for this guy for some time. He’s got 16 criminal cases pending against him and twice a court had issued warrants for his arrest.”
A United Bodyguards & Security response team followed up on rumours of the suspects’ whereabouts.
“We caught one of the men at a pawnshop selling tools and other hardware allegedly stolen from one of the branches in Villieria,” Roux said. “We called police to the scene where the man was arrested and also recovered six garden shears that he was trying to sell.”
Roux said the other suspects got wind of the arrest and fled. “It took us several hours to track them down.”
Another man and a woman were caught at a house in the north, where security also found drugs, in particular heroin.
“Needles and fluids, used for mixing the drug, were found amongst several small bags containing heroin,” Roux described.
All three suspects were taken to the Hercules police station and were later transferred to the Boschkop police where they remained in custody.
Police could not immediately give comment.
The suspects were expected to appear in court on Monday.
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