Steve the Shopper arrested – again

STEVE the Shopper has been busy – but this time the slippery thief and fraudster has met his match in a group of crime fighters determined to nab him once and for all.

Steven Glad was dubbed Steve the Shopper last year by the crime-fighting forum eBlockwatch because of his habit of stealing easy-to-carry valuables at show houses.

What made the sweet talker unique was the sheer number of thefts he allegedly carried off. He operated in well-to-do estates in Bassonia, Fourways Gardens, Broadacres, Mondeor, Midrand, Douglasdale, Kyalami Estate, Centurion, Pretoria and even Ballito.

He would call estate agents and set up private viewings. While there he would distract the agent and slip jewellery, cellphones, cameras, tablets and other valuables into his pockets. He also stole fuel at petrol stations, allegedly driving off before paying, and at a previous job as a mining training practitioner his employer said he was dismissed for stock theft.

Arrested

In May last year, the Shopper was arrested twice in three days. The first time he was let out because of a lack of evidence against him. The second case led to a conviction in a Garsfontein court for theft and fraud, but before Steve – who was out on bail – could appear for sentencing he disappeared.

Stella van Niekerk, a member of eBlockwatch who set up an estate agent forum to fight crime, began getting reports a month ago from agents saying a man was stealing goods at show houses across Ekurhuleni. He called himself Jaco, Jano, Branco, Neels “or whatever he felt like at the time”. He turned out to be none other than Steve the Shopper.

There had been reports of thefts in Brakpan, Boksburg, Benoni, Nigel and surrounds.

Van Niekerk contacted the reaction unit at the Brakpan police station. Led by Warrant Officer Jan Roos, the team began collecting cases against the man. They found 10 old cases on the system, four warrants for his arrest and one conviction. The unit also had six new cases against him that it was investigating.

Van Niekerk put up a picture of Steve on the eBlockwatch group, and a woman called and said he was her neighbour. He was renting a room in Moreleta Park and was behind in his rent. Children’s bicycles in the yard had mysteriously disappeared.

Steve was arrested in a police sting operation. Andre Snyman, the founder of eBlockwatch, was there and filmed the arrest which he posted on eBlockwatch’s Facebook page. Watches, SIM cards, cameras, jewellery and a tablet computer were found in his possession. Slips from pawn shops were also found where goods had been sold.

Steve appeared in the Brakpan court this week. All the cases against him are being combined. He has been denied bail twice.

“Maybe this time he will see the inside of a jail,” Van Niekerk said.