Syndicate Breakthrough

Syndicate targets Spars
By Matt Ramsden
Crime Reporter

EAST LONDON -- A manhunt is in progress for a syndicate that has stolen over R20000 from Spar supermarkets here and in King William's Town. Police have been joined by private detective Christian Botha who was called in on Sunday by Southernwood Spar boss Allan Hogan after his business was targeted on Sunday morning by three men. While two of them blocked the view of the unsuspecting teller, an accomplice managed to open a cash drop drawer with a master key and steal R1 947. The thieves were caught on camera and Botha yesterday handed over a still frame of them in action. One of the men, who is seen distracting the cashier, wore a blue chequered jacket while his accomplice was in white. Yesterday Hogan said he got off lightly compared to other Spars. Debbie Morgan, of Fleet Spar in Quigney, said they had been hit three times, losing R11000. The King William's Town store of Trevor Blunden lost R4900, but he also caught the culprits on camera. He gave the video to the police. Two women were involved in that particular incident. Mark Hedderwick of Greenfields Spar said they had been victims twice, most recently in May when R5 500 was taken from a till. Personnel manager Petra Barrington of Ashmel Spar said they had lost several thousand rands in three incidents. Police are appealing to people with information to contact them on 10111, the Crime Stop number on 0800-11-12-13, or Christian Botha Investigations on 083-651-0707.

EAST LONDON -- The quest to find a syndicate which has stolen over R20 000 from Spar supermarkets in the area took a step forward yesterday when private investigator Christian Botha located the gang's possible hideout here. Botha said that, after a picture of three gang members had appeared in the Daily Dispatch yesterday, he received several calls from people, including one from a Quigney resident who said the men resembled automated teller machine (ATM) crooks who had been working in the area. He gave the registration of a dark-coloured Volkswagen Golf which was traced to an address in Southernwood, later found to be a boarding house. Botha visited the house and spoke to the caretaker who identified one of the syndicate suspects from a video replay at the Southernwood Spar. It was determined that the suspect had lived in the house for about eight months before leaving earlier this year. The investigator then received another call from a man who said he had overheard a conversation that a Spar was going to be robbed. Botha spoke to him and found out that the alleged syndicate members were unemployed, but always seemed to have plenty of cash. The man further claimed that the men came from Gauteng and had been in this area since March. This man also identified the alleged thieves from the video footage. An address in Buffalo Flats was identified as the possible home of the gang. Botha said he called in detectives from the police station here who accompanied him to the house. "On entering the gate, the dogs came running and barking and I saw some movement in a back room," he said. He then watched as a "figure" ran to the back of the house, but the house owner confronted the law enforcers before they could give chase. In the back room of the house a blue chequered jacket was seen which resembled the one worn by a suspect in the video. Botha said the police declined to enter the premises because they did not have a search warrant. He questioned the neighbours and last night said he would follow up further leads about the men's background and whereabouts. Anyone with information should contact Botha on 083-651-0707 or Detective Inspector Schalk van Wyk on (043)743-4400.

Courtesy of Daily Dispatch