Bityi Stock Theft Unit and Bityi Vispol recovered twenty sheep that were found abandoned and upon enquiry was matched with another Idutywa case of stock theft where thirty one sheep were stolen from the kraal. Twenty sheep were positively identified by the owner who had earlier laid a case at Bityi. The stock was handed to Lawful owner.
Flagstaff Stock Theft Members conducted an operation at Mabovu loc Mfundisweni A/A where two cattle were recovered. The members proceeded to Mtimde area and one bull was recovered. All these cattle recovered straying were taken to Lusikisiki stock pound for storage and positive identification.
Police are appealing to all stock owners with missing livestock to come forward and do stock identification.
In another unrelated, a joint operation including Aliwal North and Queenstown STU, Public Order Police at Melkspruit farm in Aliwal North yielded results when fifty nine ewes, 6 lambs and 13 sheep were recovered. This recovery follows after eighty nine sheep that were stolen last weekend from Sterkstroom.
All sheep were positively identified by the owners and have been handed to them.
The suspect, (owner of the farm) a 61 year old has been arrested. He will appear on Thursday, 11 April 2019 at Venterstad Magistrate’s Court. As soon as he is granted bail Queenstown STU members will be patiently waiting outside the court to re-arrest him on another pending case of stock theft also from Sterkstroom. There is still more sheep missing from the initial eighty nine that was reported as stolen. Efforts to recover these missing sheep are underway as operations continue.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Ntshinga commended the members for these recoveries and breakthroughs. She encouraged livestock owners to be vigilant and extra wary for stock thieves. She discouraged members of the community who continue to buy stolen livestock. “Your actions are providing a market for this abhorred trade and police will have no option but to arrest the buyer and the seller,” she warned.
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