police recover laptops arrest four suspects

police recover laptops arrest four suspects. Photo: SAPS

Police arrest four suspects, recover 15 stolen laptops

Swift police action led to the arrest of four suspects who stole a local school’s groceries for its feeding scheme and 17 laptops.

police recover laptops arrest four suspects

police recover laptops arrest four suspects. Photo: SAPS

Swift police action led to the arrest of four men who allegedly broke into a school and stole 18 laptops as well as a projector and groceries belonging to the school’s feeding scheme. 

Police also recovered most of the stolen laptops, some of which had already been sold off to second hand dealers in the local town.

SAPS Free State regional spokesperson, Brigadier Motantsi Makhele, said that police had swooped on the four suspects after acting on intelligence regarding the suspects in the Ipopeng and Freedom Square area in Mangaung. 

Makhele said that a principal from the local school in Olive Hill in Navalsig had received an alarm notification from school.  

“Upon arrival at about 8:30am he realised that a window to the storeroom was broken. He opened and discovered that 18 HP laptops, school feeding scheme groceries and a projector all valued at R78 000 were stolen,” he said.

He said a case of burglary was opened for investigation. 

Makhele said that police officers from the Navalsig police station had caught up with the suspects when they acted on intelligence driven information in the Ipopepng and Freedom Square areas at around 9am on Tuesday. 

 “The first suspect was apprehended in Ipopeng where one laptop was recovered.  Information led police to Freedom Square where 11 more laptops were recovered and three suspects apprehended,” he said.

“Upon further investigation police recovered three more laptops that were already sold to a secondhand goods dealer in town.  Investigations are underway to recover the remaining laptops,” he said.

He said that the four suspects, aged between 17 and 25, were expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court to face charges of business burglary and possession of suspected stolen property. 

Free State Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane adviced residents to refrain from buying suspected stolen goods as buyers would also be charged with a crime. She also urged second hand goods dealers to request proof of ownership upon buying second hand goods.