Johannesburg - Three men accused of stealing a safe from the Alberton police station appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
The matter was postponed to April 18 for further investigation and bail application, Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini said.
Luvolwethu Eland, 24, Vusumuzi Ximba, 44, and a police constable at the police station Sibuti Petros Mazibuko, 27, are accused of stealing the safe on March 22.
All three men were arrested late last month.
Dlamini said two other people were arrested over the weekend in Turffontein and Rondebult in Alberton relating to the theft of the safe.
“A substantial amount of money and (a) firearm were recovered. A vehicle... suspected to have been used to steal the safe has been impounded. The safe has not yet been recovered,” said Dlamini.
“Police investigation is continuing into the disappearance of the safe.”
The security camera at the police station's gate had been tampered with.
The safe was kept in the police exhibit store. It appeared that those who stole it had dragged it along a passage and loaded it into a vehicle.
Five other police officers were suspended for alleged maladministration and failure to comply with standing instructions. More arrests and suspensions were expected soon.
Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Mzwandile Petros said at the time procedures were in place for handling cash handed in as exhibits. According to these rules the money should not have been in the safe.
A team was busy with an audit at the Alberton police station. Preliminary reports indicated that other exhibits, including a vehicle, were also missing from the store. - Sapa