Centurion man unhappy burglar got bail
“I would say the burglars were very professional as we did not hear them.”
A burglary victim in Centurion is demanding to know why the man suspected of breaking into his home has been granted bail – despite the police’s assurances.
The 52-year-old man’s house was robbed during the early hours of 18 January of this year. Both his and his wife’s cars were stolen in the robbery.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he and his wife were sound asleep while the robbery was in progress.
“I would say the burglars were very professional as we did not hear them,” he told Rekord.
“I woke up to get ready for work and opened the front door and discovered that my wife’s vehicle wasn’t there. I looked around the corner and my single automated garage door was three quarters open and my vehicle was gone as well.”
He said the house’s front safety door was still locked, even though the keys were also gone.
“The back door was unlocked as well as the safety gate. The keys for the safety gate were left in the gate by the robbers while the rest of the keys were neatly placed outside on the courtyard wall.”
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A suspect for the burglary was later arrested with regard to an unrelated hijacking. The man was phoned by the police to identify some power tools, which may have been stolen from his house.
“The police apprehended the suspect in Olievenhoutbosch and found the tools at his residence,” said.
It turned out the tools did belong to the man, and the investigating officer assured him the police would oppose bail.
“The police said they would not grant him bail until he revealed the syndicate involved in all these motor vehicle thefts.”
However, on Monday the man discovered that the suspect had indeed been released on bail.
He said according to an e-toll billing statement, his vehicle went down the Stormvoël off-ramp at around 17:50 on the same day.
“I think it was a lead worth following up by the police, but unfortunately we cannot dictate how investigations should be done.”
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Centurion robbery accused granted bail again
The man told Rekord he was also unhappy with the police’s lethargic response time on the day of the burglary itself.
“I tried calling the Lyttelton police station at 05:00 that morning and nobody there answered,” he said.
“I then called Wierdabrug police station, who came out about five hours later.”
He also learned from the complex’s security company and the caretaker that two other units were also broken into that same morning.
“A car and motorbike was stolen at one house and a laptop was stolen from the other.”
He said it was disappointing that the suspect was out on bail.
“What are the odds of the suspect ever being successfully convicted for his crime?”
Olievenhoutbosch police confirmed the case is still being investigated.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) did not comment at the time of going to press.
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