Expensive leather couches from a designer shop in the Bloemfontein CBD were stolen by a former employee‚ who had kept the store keys after he resigned — even hiring a truck to move the furniture‚ police say.

He sold the couches after the theft.

Police said in a statement |the 31-year-old suspect resigned from his job on 24 July 2015 and somehow managed to steal the storeroom keys only to return in the early hours of 25 July 2015 to collect the sofa unit“.

“The suspect allegedly hired a rental truck‚ went to his former workplace and stole an Afrique Conner Unit worth R35‚000; he took the unit to Rocklands in Mangaung‚ where he sold it at a fraction of the price value.

The former employee was arrested for theft and the 65-year-old buyer was arrested for possession of suspected stolen property. The two are to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court soon.

“This must serve as a stern warning to members of the public who are still buying stolen goods‚ as the purchaser of such goods; you are as guilty as the thief that stole them‚“‚ said Lt-Gen Thabethe Mpembe.