Tip-off leads to stock-theft arrests

A FARMER from Mojanaga farm in the Thaba Nchu District was surprised when he was told by the Thaba Nchu police to come and identify his recovered livestock, as he was unaware that the animals had been stolen, Free State police said yesterday. On Saturday, the Selosesha crime intelligence cluster (CIC) received information from a reliable source about a planned theft of livestock at Mojanaga farm, Sergeant Martin Xuma said. Members of the Selosesha CIC and Thaba Nchu police station’s visible policing unit kept observation, and at about noon they noticed a bakkie with six cows on a trailer travelling near the Naledi Sun hotel. Police flagged the bakkie down and ordered the driver to pull off the road. They requested the papers for the transportation of the livestock from the driver, but he could not produce them. “The three African males, of which two are Lesotho citizens and one from Bloemfontein, were arrested for stock theft. Upon interrogation, police learnt that one of the suspects is a shepherd at Mojanaga farm, from where the stock was allegedly stolen. “Police contacted the farmer, who was not aware that his livestock had been stolen, to come and identify his animals. He identified his livestock, valued at about R40 000, and they were handed back to the farmer.” The three suspects were expected to appear in the Thaba Nchu Magistrate’s Court today. Free State police commissioner Lieutenant-General Jacob Tsumane applauded the source for alerting the police. – ANA