Cops lax despite footage of pub thieves

5.1.2013 Jack Matlala the owner of van Tuka pub in Soshanguve points to where speakers were taken from their mountings in a wall of his pub. Picture: Etienne Creux

5.1.2013 Jack Matlala the owner of van Tuka pub in Soshanguve points to where speakers were taken from their mountings in a wall of his pub. Picture: Etienne Creux

Published Jan 6, 2014

Share

 

Pretoria - For three months a Soshanguve pub owner has been trying to get police to arrest suspects allegedly involved in a burglary at his establishment.

All his attempts have failed despite his offering the police closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage that clearly identifies the criminals.

He has also offered the alleged criminals’ names, addresses and phone numbers.

The owner of Van Tuka pub, Jack Matlala, said there was a break-in on October 18 and a music system worth R200 000 was stolen.

“I called the cops and we went through the footage together. I opened a case with them.

“Later I showed the footage to people and I asked that they help identify the criminals. I found out that the people live in Mamelodi.

“I called the guys who stole the stuff and asked that they return it. They first denied it was them and later said that it was already with a buyer.

“They asked that I pay to get it back. I refused because the sound system is mine and I cannot pay for something they stole from me.

“They still promised to give me back the sound system the next week.

“When I called again they kept on changing their stories and I thought that because I had opened a police case, I would get help there.

“I told the police what I knew and even offered to give them addresses and telephone numbers, but they still refused to help me.”

According to Matlala, the police told him he did not have a case. “I have CCTV footage that clearly shows the people plus their contact details, but the police are just not willing to go arrest them.

“The police tell me that the CCTV camera shows that the crime happened on the 19th while it happened on the 18th, so there is no case. The date thing might be a problem, but if you can clearly see the people in the footage committing a crime then you must arrest them. I have since been forced to buy a new sound system,” Matlala said.

The incident happened at about 10am. “The alarm system was not activated. The place was also being renovated. On the footage, you can clearly see the four people. Two of them go inside the premises and the others stand guard outside.”

Matlala said he had heard rumours that the sound system had not been sold. “I heard that it is going for R60 000. A lot of people know about the issue, so no one wants to buy the sound system.”

Soshanguve police spokeswoman Constable Reneilwe Moloisane said questions about the matter should be e-mailed to her, but she did not respond by the time of publication.

Pretoria News

Related Topics: