Thief arrested after selling goods back to company he stole from

27 June 2019 - 11:18 By NIVASHNI NAIR
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A man was arrested after selling stock back to the company he allegedly stole it from.
A man was arrested after selling stock back to the company he allegedly stole it from.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

This is not the brightest thief in Durban.

After allegedly stealing 74 chair-backs from the David Landau Community Centre in Asherville, he tried to sell them back to the function hire company that he had stolen them from.

Hours after selling the stock back to Bobby's Hiring and Catering in Overport, the man was arrested - with a stolen geyser in his possession.

Combined Community Watch manager Domenic King said when the woman from Bobby's Hiring inspected the chair-backs she realised it was the company's own stock. 

"However as they had no break-in at their premises she didn't know where or how he came to be in possession of the 74 chair-backs."

"As the guy only wanted R450 for the lot, even though they were worth much more, she paid him for her own stuff as she didn't want to risk losing them then going out to buy new ones which are costly," King said.

The woman then contacted Combined Crime Watch to explain what happened and describe the man who sold her the chair-backs. 

"As luck would have it, I received a call at about 3:30am regarding a man carrying a geyser on Keal Rd. I intercepted the guy and whilst questioning him I realised that he fitted the description of the man that was at Bobby's Hiring," said King.

"So I took a pic of him and sent it off to Bobby's Hiring and they confirmed that it was the same guy." 

King made a citizen's arrest and handed the man over to Sydenham police.

"We were met at the station by Kris from Bobby's Hiring who positively identified the suspect."


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