The Brooklyn police has welcomed the lengthy sentence recently given to two house robbers.
Brooklyn police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach said the duo were sentenced at the Pretoria magistrate’s court last month.
ALSO READ: Central police warns students not to fall for rental scams
Khoza Thapelo (35) and Brian Mathosi (30) from Mamelodi East were both sentenced to 15 years in prison for house robbery, she said.
“On 13 August 2015, two Brooklyn SAPS reservists responded to a housebreaking in progress in Aquila Street in Waterkloof Ridge. On arrival, they found two unknown men inside the garage where they were loading suspected stolen items inside a vehicle,” Weilbach said.
“When the suspects saw the police officers, they fled on foot. Police officers chased after them and called for back-up.”
ALSO READ: NEWSFLASH: Three nabbed after Waterkloof high-speed car chase
Weilbach said the two men were arrested soon after on a neighbouring property.
“It was established that the suspects held up two women and a gardener while they ransacked the house. The domestic worker stayed calm and locked herself inside another room, from where she phoned for help,” she said.
The acting station commander of Brooklyn SAPS, Colonel Terrence Naidoo applauded the arresting officers and the investigating officer, Constable Sidney Tshabalala.
“To secure successful convictions such as this one means a lot of long hours of work, skill and commitment. This sentence must also serve as a deterrent to other criminals that Brooklyn investigating officers will put them behind bars,” he said.
The Brooklyn police has requested homeowners to implement precautionary measures to protect themselves against house robberies.
“Residents must be aware that most house robberies occur during the daytime,” Weilbach said.
“Lately, it seems that robbers are targeting houses where there is a lot of overgrowth, which make it easier for them to commit their crime without the risk that somebody will see them from the street.”
ALSO READ: Watch gang active in the east
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
