Suspected meat thieves bite off more than they can chew

Cape Town - Five men from Bloemhof in the North West appeared in the local Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday after being found in possession of suspected stolen beef worth R10 000.

According to the police, suspects John Mogapi, 53, and Andrew Jantjie, 35, were arrested on Saturday between Sterkfontein and Bloemhof when they were found to be driving a bakkie fully loaded with meat.

When asked where the meat had come from, they were unable to give police an explanation, police spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko said in a statement.  

The men were apprehended and the vehicle and meat were confiscated as the meat was “suspected to be from a stolen cow in Sterkfontein”. 

“Further investigations led the police to three houses, where more meat was found.

Three suspects - Rachel Ntomane, 35, Selinah Marumo, 35, and Pogiso Maseng, 24 - were also charged for possession of suspected stolen beef as they allegedly purchased the meat from Mogapi and Jantjie.

“In total, beef to the value of nearly R10 000 was confiscated.”

The case was postponed to July 27.

Ntomane and Marumo were released on R200 bail.

Mogapi, Jantjie and Maseng were remanded in custody.