The Durban schoolboys who allegedly stole a safe from a house on Mount Edgecombe Golf Estate, have yet to appear in court.
|||Durban - The Durban North schoolboys who allegedly stole a safe containing items valued at R2.4 million from a house on Mount Edgecombe Golf Estate in March last year have yet to appear in court.
Sixteen months after the theft, the police have not yet wrapped up the investigation.
The story made headlines when four Northwood schoolboys were tracked down after bragging to their friends about the stolen goods.
The safe contained jewellery, traveller’s cheques, cash and 120 Kruger rands.
It is also believed that one week before the alleged theft, the four boys and one other were involved in another burglary on the same estate.
A victim of the second incident, who did not want to be named, said he was upset with the slow pace at which the case was moving.
Speaking at his home, he recalled the day he and his family returned home after the Easter long weekend, only to find the safe gone.
“I hired private investigator Nico Potgieter, from Enforce Security, to help track down the culprits,” he said. A reward of R50 000 was offered.
About 10 days later, he said, he received two phone calls in quick succession from Northwood pupils. “The first caller said his mom had told him to call me and say he knew who the boys were. We made a time to meet but within five minutes, I got another call from a boy who asked about the reward and said we could meet in Glenashley.”
The victim and Potgieter met three boys in a Glenashley parking lot where they were presented with his traveller’s cheques - seemingly worthless as they couldn’t be cashed - and a tanzanite stone.
“I said there was a reward and we followed the boys back to the estate where they showed us the safe, which was hidden in the bushes on the fifth hole (of the golf course).”
The boys gave the names of the four schoolmates who had been bragging about the theft.
Potgieter and the victim went to the homes of all four boys, where they allegedly recovered some of the stolen goods, including jewellery, some of the Kruger rands and cash. “One of the boys had bought a scooter and a pool table with the money.”
The victim said he had questioned the parents, who said the money was from one of the other three boys.
Among the items brought forward were an engagement ring and a Tag Heuer watch, which did not belong to the victim. It was later discovered these were among some of the items allegedly stolen from another property on the estate.
“Our neighbours were in the US and I believe these boys saw the daughter’s BlackBerry status (indicating she was away). They went to the house, got through a window and had a party, drinking all the booze (including a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label whisky). They then stole computers, iPads and other valuables,” said the victim.
The boys allegedly admitted involvement and volunteered information
.
“They divided the loot and three of the boys went straight to Gateway where they tried to fence the goods,” he said.
They allegedly managed to exchange about e500 (R6 535.50), but could not exchange the traveller’s cheques. Through a contact working in one of the shops, the boys met two men at a petrol station on Nandi Drive, where they sold two gold chains for R13 000 and 90 Kruger rands for R3 000.
“When the boys discovered the true value of the Kruger rands, they sold some online - three to a woman in Pinetown for R25 000 in total and three to a man they met at Virginia Airport for R13 000 each. We got back the three from the Pinetown woman and I think two from the man.”
Police spokesman, Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said the two matters had not been placed on the roll at the Phoenix Magistrate’s Court because they were awaiting the “submission of video footage”.
“The cases will be presented to the senior public prosecutor as soon as all the outstanding investigation is completed,” Mdunge said.
lauren.anthony@inl.co.za
Daily News
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