Unusual deal leads to arrest of two men for stock theft

TWO men were arrested by Alice police on Wednesday for stock theft after a bizarre secret deal in which the two allegedly exchanged stolen goats for car parts.

Alice police spokeswoman Captain Siyasanga Nontshinga yesterday said the arrangement had been going on since April until the police stock theft unit was made aware of it recently.

The two men, aged 40 and 28, both from Camngca Village, are facing theft charges after three small-scale farmers opened cases of stock theft against them on Wednesday.

According to Nontshinga, this started when the 28-year-old, who is a Toyota Corolla owner, was in need of car parts and approached the 40-year-old.

The 40-year-old, who owns an old broken-down Corolla, offered to help in exchange for goats.

Nontshinga said the 28-year-old would get one spare part for each goat he would bring forward.

They are charged for theft nine goats.

Nontshinga said the suspect had stolen eight goats. One of them later gave birth.

“Farmers in the area complained about losing their goats but failed to open cases until we of alerted them about this theft.”

Nontshinga said the two suspects were released on warning until their court appearance.

Nontshinga said the two also faced other charges for unrelated crimes, “allegedly committed in the 2015 and 2016 period”.

● In a separate incident 14 stolen cattle were recovered by the King William’s Town stock theft unit yesterday.

Police spokeswoman, Captain Siphokazi Mawisa yesterday said the cattle, which were stolen from a Zwelitsha farm, were recovered from a communal farm in Berlin.

“We are still investigating a case of stock theft,” said Mawisa. —