Free State couple arrested for stealing sheep

A Free State couple living on a farm near Bothaville has been arrested for stock theft after initially denying police access to the farm, police say.

Captain Stephen Thakeng said the Odendaalsrus stock theft unit received a tip-off about possible stolen sheep at a farm in Bothaville on Wednesday.

On arrival at the farm, police were denied access to the premises by the owner until they had a search warrant.

Police kept guard at the premises while a police officer applied to the Bothaville Magistrate's Court for a search warrant.

Thakeng said police entered the premises after serving the warrant and found eight Merino sheep with their ear tags removed, 13 packets of neatly cut mutton, three lambs and a freshly cut sheepskin.

A .22 rifle for which no proper documentation could be obtained was confiscated.

Thakeng said the sheep were worth about R45,000.

The couple, aged 35 and 38, was arrested and would appear in the Bothaville Magistrate's Court on Friday.