A young child became the hero of the day when he was able to identify a thief who stole two handbags out of a parked car in Mookgophong.
Marietjie Odendaal, a rancher from outside Mookgophong, had an appointment at the Wimpy, on Saturday, July 30. Around 12:55 Odendaal parked her car on the main street near Source Pharmacy, and as usual pressed the remote control buttons to lock the vehicle. When she returned after 20 minutes, she immediately noticed that the door on the driver’s side was open. Both her handbag and Agriforum bag was gone, inside the bag was all her documents, she told Die Pos.
Odendaal approached a beggar who was sitting in front of the pharmacy and as her car was right in front of him, asked if he had noticed anybody near her car. He just replied that he did not see anything or anybody.
Odendaal noticed a group of little boys playing nearby and approached them with the same question. She told the children that her handbag with her ID document was stolen. One of the small boys told Odendaal that he saw a man approach her car and that he knew who the man was. Odendaal asked the child to accompany her to the police station, and he willingly obliged.
Constable Joyce Cook listened to the story and confirmed that she knew who the suspect was and where he lived. Unfortunately, there was no police vehicle available at that time. Odendaal asked Cook if she would accompany her to the suspects house in her car. Cook along with three other officers proceeded to the residential area in Sector one, where the alleged thief lived. When they arrived, there was nobody at home.
On the way back, Cook asked Odendaal to stop at one of the famous pubs in the area. Cook entered a building and within minutes returned holding onto the suspect’s arm. The man denied everything, but as soon as Cook told him they had a witness, he admitted to the theft.
They drove toward a railway line near the main street, and the suspect told them where the Agriforum bag and handbag were thrown. Odendaal recovered her bags and all documents near a toilet facility in the area.
The suspect was taken back to the police station and remained in custody. The suspect will appear in court on charges of theft.
Odendaal was fortunate to recover her loss and thanked the police for their quick, decisive action, especially Constable Cook who saved the day. The child who knew the thief was thanked and Odendaal expressed her gratitude.
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