Five suspects, that include two foreign national tuckshop owners, were arrested regarding the burglary and theft of learning material at a school in Bloemfontein, and are expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court today.
They were arrested on Saturday, 7 January, regarding burglary and theft at the Gonyane Primary School in Phahameng.
The burglary occurred just two days before the start of the 2023 school term. The culprits, whose ages range from 20 to 37 years, face charges of malicious damage to property and theft.
Lt. Col Thabo Covane, spokesperson for the police in the Mangaung Metro, said different learning materials were positively identified as the stolen items from the school. Recovered materials range from books, rulers, rubbers, pens, pencils, and sharpeners. The value of the items is yet to be determined.
Covane said the items were recovered at two foreign-owned tuck shops and two houses in Joe Slovo and Phahameng in Dr Lebona Street, the same street where the school is located.
He said the task team of the Mangaung Visible Policing unit, Detective branch, and Bomb Disposal unit acted promptly after receiving reliable information from a community member who learnt about the break-in at the school.
Covane said the investigation in the burglary and theft of the learning material is ongoing with the hope of bringing more syndicates to book.
