8 guards nabbed over theft at resort

Aug 31, 2012 | Frank Maponya Limpopo Bureau Chief | 1 comments

VISITORS to the Bela-Bela Aventura Resort in Limpopo will heave a sigh of relief following the arrest of eight people who were accused of stealing visitors' belongings at the venue.

Big theft from army base

The eight suspects were found to be security guards working at the resort.

For the past few weeks visitors to the popular resort had been left angry and frustrated that their valuables were stolen from chalets.

Cases of housebreaking and theft, and theft out of vehicles were reported to the local police.

Police spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Ronel Otto said an investigation team looking into the incidents followed up information provided by a member of the public and that this had led to the arrest of eight guards.

"Initial investigations have indicated that the security guards were exchanging a master key among themselves," said Otto yesterday.

She said the guards would monitor the movements of the visitors and would pounce once the visitors left their chalets.

Otto said two of the suspects appeared in the BelaBela Magistrate's Court on Wednesday after they were arrested on Tuesday.

The cases against Amon Baloyi, 34, and Aubrey Mangwale, 31, were postponed to September 4 for a formal bail application and the two had been remanded in custody.

She said the other six suspects appeared in court yesterday. They were Alfred Malete, 27, Anthony Faro, 41, Gabriel Kutu, 41, Godfrey Mashele, 32, Johannes Mokau, 33, and Samuel Setshedi, 35.

All six were granted bail of R1000 each and their cases were postponed to September 27. - frankm@sowetan.co.za