Cops held for
stealing crime scene exhibits
2014-02-05 16:56
(Nielen de Klerk, News24)
Johannesburg - A police constable and a
switchboard operator at the Mthatha police station have been arrested for
allegedly stealing exhibits, the Hawks said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko said the exhibits taken from crime scenes were stored at the police station.
The arrests were made during a raid on Tuesday evening.
Three television sets and a computer were found hidden under a police constable's bed.
"The Hawks proceeded to another house where the team found 30 cases of alcoholic beverages and various building materials, which were later seized."
The search was extended to the switchboard operator's house in Ngolo, Libode, and three generators, an old police bullet-resistant vest from the Transkei, as well as a lounge suite, were seized.
Ramaloko said the recovered items had been stolen from the police stores after being seized from various crime scenes around Mthatha during December.
The Hawks then visited the home of a former policewoman, who held the rank of major, and her husband, a police captain.
The former policewoman could not be found and her husband could not give a proper explanation of her whereabouts, Ramaloko said.
"It was later established that she had fled after hearing about the raid at the other suspects' addresses.
She resigned from the police in December after hearing about the probe."
The Hawks were still searching for the woman on Wednesday.
The arrested constable, 37, and switchboard operator, 61, would appear in the Mthatha Magistrate's Court on Thursday to face charges of theft and possession of suspected stolen goods.
More property was expected to be recovered and more arrests were also expected, Ramaloko said.
Spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko said the exhibits taken from crime scenes were stored at the police station.
The arrests were made during a raid on Tuesday evening.
Three television sets and a computer were found hidden under a police constable's bed.
"The Hawks proceeded to another house where the team found 30 cases of alcoholic beverages and various building materials, which were later seized."
The search was extended to the switchboard operator's house in Ngolo, Libode, and three generators, an old police bullet-resistant vest from the Transkei, as well as a lounge suite, were seized.
Ramaloko said the recovered items had been stolen from the police stores after being seized from various crime scenes around Mthatha during December.
The Hawks then visited the home of a former policewoman, who held the rank of major, and her husband, a police captain.
The former policewoman could not be found and her husband could not give a proper explanation of her whereabouts, Ramaloko said.
"It was later established that she had fled after hearing about the raid at the other suspects' addresses.
She resigned from the police in December after hearing about the probe."
The Hawks were still searching for the woman on Wednesday.
The arrested constable, 37, and switchboard operator, 61, would appear in the Mthatha Magistrate's Court on Thursday to face charges of theft and possession of suspected stolen goods.
More property was expected to be recovered and more arrests were also expected, Ramaloko said.
