Johannesburg - A man has been arrested after he was found building a house with looted material stolen during the recent civil unrest that saw shops and malls gutted by looters.
The day before police pounced, the man is said to have loaded some of the looted building materials and goods onto a trailer headed to Mozambique.
According to Joburg Metro Police spokesperson Xolani Fihla, they received a tip-off about a resident of Water Works Informal Settlement near Ennerdale in Joburg south who was hiding items stolen at Protea South Cashbuild in Soweto during the looting.
Fihla said they went to the house and found the man in his yard. His shack, he said, was searched, and various items, which included building material, furniture and food, were found.
“With further observation, officers saw that the male had already started building using the looted materials. It was also found that the male used his bakkie to load the looted items from Protea South.
“Further information received alluded that some of the looted items were loaded into a trailer headed to Mozambique, and it had already departed the previous day.
“The suspect was arrested and detained at Ennerdale Police Station for possession of suspected stolen property. The looted items worth approximately R24 930 were seized and booked in at Ennerdale SAPS,” he said.
IOL