Two arrested in Izotsha for theft of cannons
The cannons date from the 1700s and 1800s and were removed from the old war museum on the Port Shepstone beachfront.
Teamwork between police, security companies and a scrapyard in Izotsha led to the arrest of two men who attempted to sell museum artefacts on July 4.
Lazer 911, Mi7, Wolf and Saps were alerted by the owner of the scrapyard on July 3 that three cannons had been delivered to the premises by unknown individuals to be sold as scrap metal.
The cannons dating from the 1700s and 1800s were recovered after they had been removed without authorisation from the old war museum on the Port Shepstone beachfront.
The cannons had reportedly formed part of an upgrade project and were intended to be transported to Pietermaritzburg. However, it had been removed without the authority of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality.
It is believed that the estimated scrap value of the cannons are R210,000, based on their copper and brass content.
Arrangements were made for the men to collect payment on Saturday morning, where they were arrested.
The men may be part of a larger group involved in the removal and transportation of historical artefacts; and investigations to identify their accomplices are under way.
One of the cannons is reported to still bear a Royal British stamp, a feature that significantly enhances its historical importance.
Police investigations are continuing.
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