Woolly surprise in wheelie bin

Thanks to a sharp-eyed Plettenberg Bay security officer, an alleged thief was apprehended in two shakes of a lamb’s tail after trying to get away with his woolly loot in a wheelie bin.

While this might sound like the setup to a strange joke, this scenario played out in Plett’s Ladywood area, on the outskirts of town, last week.

Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said local security officer Tubby Will from Smhart Security noticed a person pushing a black wheelie bin around in the Ladywood area. The man behind the bin appeared suspicious to Will, so he decided to investigate.

“The person’s vague answers regarding where he got the wheelie bin and the strange noises that emanated from the receptacle, led Will to take a closer look,” Olivier said.

When he opened the lid of the bin, to his surprise, he found a sheep tied up inside. He later found another tied-up sheep nearby.

While Will was looking in the bin the suspect – who was with another man at the time – attempted to flee the scene. “Will quickly apprehended one suspect while requesting assistance.” Local police, Plett’s rapid response unit, local security companies, Plett’s K9 unit and Ladywood neighbourhood watch members responded, but the second suspect disappeared.

Olivier said it turned out that both sheep, named Billy and Loutjie, had been stolen from a property in Ladywood while the owners had been at work. The sheep were later reunited with their owners.

Photo: Supplied This sheep is one of two that had a narrow escape recently after being stolen from their home in Ladywood, Plettenberg Bay.