Graaff-reinet crime news in short

The driver of a Ford Ranger bakkie was killed at about 16:00 on 10 January when he allegedly lost control of the vehicle on the road between Graaff-reinet and Jansenville.

The vehicle overturned, and the 31-year-old man lost his life. No other vehicle was involved, and the case is currently under police investigation.

There were three cases of theft from a motor vehicle opened in Graaff-reinet last week, which have many similarities.

The first theft occurred sometime between 06:30 on 8 January and 06:00 the next day. A tyre and wheel rim, worth R2 000, were taken from a vehicle parked at a house in Baartman Street, Umasizakhe. At much the same time, between 19:00 on 8 January and 19:00 on 9 January, a tyre and rim (this time valued at R800) were taken from a vehicle parked at a house in North Street. Then in North Street again, a few days later, another wheel was taken from a parked vehicle, between 16:00 on 11 January and 07:10 on 13 January.

A white Toyota Hilux bakkie was stolen from outside a house in Cradock Street between 13 January at 23.00 and 14 January at 06.00. The value of the vehicle is given as R 60 000.

A case of malicious damage to property was opened after an incident at 07:45 on 9 January in Chris Nissan Street, Graaff Reinet. The complainant and a friend had a disagreement, and various items were out of the complainant’s house, which caused damage to the items . The estimated total value of the damage is R3 000.

Cellphones and computer equipment worth R28 000 were taken from a house in Kroonvale after a break-in on 11 January at about 19:15. The suspect or suspects got in through an open window.

A case of stock theft occurred between noon on 5 January and the same time the next day at the farm Beaconsfield, Graaff-reinet. Goats worth R31 500 were removed from the grazing camps.

There were two drugrelated cases opened. The first incident, which led to the arrest of a male suspect, was when a routine patrol by SAPS members in Asherville found a man in possession of a quarter of a Mandrax tablet. The incident happened at 20:20 on 9 January.

On 14 January at 01:40, a member of Graaff-reinet SAPS patrolling the road between Graaff-reinet and Middelburg arrested a man for being in possession of dagga.