Vigilant members who was busy investigating the disappearance of a Barrydale woman who was later found deceased on a hiking trail, led to the retrieval of her missing car as well as the arrests of two suspects in connection with the theft of her car. The suspects are scheduled to appear in court later this week.
The woman, Erna Gericke (66), went for a walk at about 14:00 on Sunday, 21 March 2021 and left her car in the parking spot for hikers near Rondomskrik in Barrydale.
Her husband reported her as missing to the authorities when she did not return home at about 18:00.
A full scale search comprising various police units and community members commenced soon thereafter. Between 02:00 and 03:00 this morning, Monday, 21 March 2021 members of the search party, that included the missing person’s daughter, found the body of the woman in a badly injured state approximately 5 to 6 km into the Waterfall Hiking Trail.
Paramedics who arrived on the scene later, declared the victim dead. An autopsy will be done on the body on 23 March 2021, to determine the possible cause of death. Currently, no foul play is suspected.
Meanwhile members followed up information about the decease’ car, a Citroen sedan that was no longer at the parking spot. Members only noticed possible signs of a breaking into the car which led members to believe that the car was possibly stolen. Through the vigilance of the farm watch and rural safety structures, information was passed on about the whereabouts of the car.
Upon further investigation the members found the car abandoned behind a hill near the Tradouw Hoek with the right front window smashed.
Subsequent to the find two suspects aged 18 and 24 from a farm in the area were arrested shortly after one another. The spare keys of the Citroen P3 was found in the possession of one of the suspects which link them to the theft of the motor vehicle.
Both faces charges of theft of motor vehicle and is scheduled to appear in the Barrydale Magistrates’ court on Wednesday, 23 March 2021.
Provincial police management has commended the joint integrated efforts by the police, community members and the farm watch in finding the missing woman and retrieval of her car.
