Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

Residents of Ludlow village near the Manyeleti Game Reserve in Mpumalanga cornered a 24-year-old man suspected of breaking into their houses and stealing items while they were asleep.

Community members called the Mhala police, who found the man had items in his house that are suspected to have been stolen.

The items included television sets, blankets, pots and other household items.

Police spokesman Inspector Ralph Mhangana told Sowetan that Thabiso Maunye had in the past been arrested for similar offences but had skipped bail.

"The suspect was facing five charges of housebreaking and theft at the time the court released him on bail," Mhangana said.

"He failed to honour the court order that required him to return to court on a specific day."

Mhangana said Maunye was already on the police's wanted list and thanked members of the community who caught him.

He said Maunye would only appear briefly in court today because the police were still looking for a firearm that was apparently stolen during one of his housebreaking sprees.

Villagers have been asked to visit Mhala police station to check if their stolen items are among those recovered.