Pretoria - First a safe with its contents - cash, a firearm, a cellphone and jewellery - was stolen from the Alberton police station, now 22 firearms and a vehicle have been discovered missing from the precinct.
The safe was stolen from the exhibit room in March and discovered when the exhibit clerk reported for duty.
The main doors and the burglar bars were damaged in the break-in. The safe was then dragged out of the office. The camera at the gate of the station was also tampered with.
Following investigations a substantial amount of money and a firearm were recovered and three suspects arrested - Luvolwethu Eland, 24, Vusumuzi Ximba, 44, and a constable from Alberton police station Sibuti Mazibuko, 27.
They have appeared at the Palmridge Magistrate’s Court.
Five other officers, including the station commander, Vispol (visible policing) commander and SAP 13 (Exhibit room) official, have been suspended for poor management and maladministration.
An audit team of experts investigated and preliminary reports have indicated that other exhibits, including a vehicle, are also missing from the station’s evidence hold.
DA Gauteng MPL Kate Lorimer said she was horrified to learn of the 22 firearms missing from the station.
She said the station’s management needs to be held accountable because every firearm needs to be signed in and out through a register. This register needs to be checked regularly to make sure every firearm is there.
Lorimer wanted to know when the station was last inspected by the police inspectorate. “It makes you wonder where else this has happened,” said Lorimer. “People worry because if police stations can’t be kept safe then how can we expect the police to keep us safe.”
* In the same week that the safe was stolen at Alberton there was a break-in at Bedfordview police station. Robbers allegedly gained entry to a police station exhibit room through the window of the station commander. Cellphones and thousands of rand were reportedly taken.
l Beeld reported last month that 18 firearms were stolen from a police station at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga. The weapons were mostly evidence being kept under lock and key. An inspection held at the station found that more than 12 pistols, assorted revolvers and an R5 rifle had been taken from the evidence room.
* Last year, a trunk full of weapons linked to various crimes was stolen from the Mhluzi police station in Middelburg.
* In November the management information centre of the Reiger Park police station had been broken into. A computer, worth R9 000, and camera were stolen. The suspects cut a hole in the perimeter fence and broke into the office by entering through a window that was left open. The station also had a failed break-in at its storage room where seized goods were kept.
* In 2010, during an internal audit at the former riot unit in Hazyview, the theft of part of a large arsenal - including at least 32 R5 rifles, 30 12-gauge shotguns, a number of Z88 pistols and 48 000 bullets - was discovered.
Pretoria News