With the help of Community Policing Forum (CPF) volunteers, who were specially deployed during the National Arts Festival, police busted a suspected crime syndicate operating in the Grahamstown CBD last Thursday.
With the help of Community Policing Forum (CPF) volunteers, who were specially deployed during the National Arts Festival, police busted a suspected crime syndicate operating in the Grahamstown CBD last Thursday.
According to police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender, Sergeant Sisa Nomana and other CPF members caught on that two women would “go into shops and distract the staff and make off with clothing items which they would hide on themselves.”
The police volunteers tailed the suspects and arrested them on the corner of High and Anglo African streets. The suspects, aged 20 and 25, and a male getaway driver, 31, were arrested and detained. “Items of clothing that were recovered were jerseys, dresses and several leather-like jackets. The value is approximately R5 000,” Govender said.
While some of the items have been traced to a well-known retail store, it is still not known where the other items were stolen from, she said. The suspects will be charged with possession of stolen property and appear in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court soon.