A 37-year-old Stutterheim man was arrested on Wednesday night after he was caught red handed while trying to load eight stolen cows onto his bakkie and trailer.
The man, who can not be named as he is yet to appear in court, was arrested after he was spotted stealing cows belonging to Kubusi village farmer Rob Dobrowsky, who said the livestock was valued at R85000.
Dobrowsky said the arrested suspect was caught red-handed in a neighbouring farm where his livestock was grazing.
The farmer, who said he was glad that the stock thief was caught before he could make a getaway with the loot, yesterday told the Saturday Dispatch that his joy was short-lived after he discovered one of his sheep skinned with the meat missing on Thursday in a second theft incident at his farm in two days.
No one has been arrested so far for the stolen sheep meat.
Dobrowsky said the arrested suspect, from Mgwali village, 20km outside Stutterheim, was travelling in a bakkie with a trailer when he was spotted trying to load the eight cattle.
Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills yesterday confirmed the incident and said the arrested man would appear in the Stutterheim Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mills said he would face charges of stock theft and possession of an illegal firearm.
Dobrowsky yesterday vented his frustration regarding lack of police visibility, saying farmers were growing desperate over the high incidents of stocktheft.
“My neighbour called me on Wednesday saying he had apprehended a man trying to steal my cattle. I rushed to the scene and we found him in possession of eight of my cattle valued at R85000.
“We found him alone, but we suspect that he might have had accomplices,” Dobrowsky said, adding that Kubusi Drift police attended to the scene.
According to Dobrowsky, on Thursday night, “I had another case of stock theft reported to police after I found one of my sheep skinned on my property, with the perpetrators leaving its skin on the scene.”
Dobrowsky accused police “of not playing ball” when it comes to cases of stocktheft.
“I waited for the King William’s Town stocktheft unit until midnight on Thursday and they did not arrive.
“When I called again, I was told that they had 20 members operating with only one vehicle, which was out at the time,” Dobrowsky said.
Mills, however, disputed the unit had 20 members saying it only had 12 members.
“The unit has 12 members and do experience challenges with the number of operational vehicles as they currently have two which are operational,” Mills said. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Man arrested trying to load 8 stolen cows onto his bakkie
The man, who can not be named as he is yet to appear in court, was arrested after he was spotted stealing cows belonging to Kubusi village farmer Rob Dobrowsky, who said the livestock was valued at R85000.
Dobrowsky said the arrested suspect was caught red-handed in a neighbouring farm where his livestock was grazing.
The farmer, who said he was glad that the stock thief was caught before he could make a getaway with the loot, yesterday told the Saturday Dispatch that his joy was short-lived after he discovered one of his sheep skinned with the meat missing on Thursday in a second theft incident at his farm in two days.
No one has been arrested so far for the stolen sheep meat.
Dobrowsky said the arrested suspect, from Mgwali village, 20km outside Stutterheim, was travelling in a bakkie with a trailer when he was spotted trying to load the eight cattle.
Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills yesterday confirmed the incident and said the arrested man would appear in the Stutterheim Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mills said he would face charges of stock theft and possession of an illegal firearm.
Dobrowsky yesterday vented his frustration regarding lack of police visibility, saying farmers were growing desperate over the high incidents of stocktheft.
“My neighbour called me on Wednesday saying he had apprehended a man trying to steal my cattle. I rushed to the scene and we found him in possession of eight of my cattle valued at R85000.
“We found him alone, but we suspect that he might have had accomplices,” Dobrowsky said, adding that Kubusi Drift police attended to the scene.
According to Dobrowsky, on Thursday night, “I had another case of stock theft reported to police after I found one of my sheep skinned on my property, with the perpetrators leaving its skin on the scene.”
Dobrowsky accused police “of not playing ball” when it comes to cases of stocktheft.
“I waited for the King William’s Town stocktheft unit until midnight on Thursday and they did not arrive.
“When I called again, I was told that they had 20 members operating with only one vehicle, which was out at the time,” Dobrowsky said.
Mills, however, disputed the unit had 20 members saying it only had 12 members.
“The unit has 12 members and do experience challenges with the number of operational vehicles as they currently have two which are operational,” Mills said. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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