Five men aged between 26 and 53 have been arrested after they were found in possession of stolen carcasses.
The vehicle the suspected stock thieves were traveling in was intercepted by police on the R30 road, near Welkom, on 26 June.
Members of the Welkom Highway Patrol made the arrests after following up information of possible stock theft. They spotted a silver Ford Ranger on the R30 road that fitted the description the vehicle. It was traveling towards Welkom.
The police unsuccessfully attempted to stop the vehicle near Blaauwdrift. A chase ensued, and when they ultimately stopped the vehicle and searched it, they discovered the two carcasses.
Sgt. Palesa Thabana, spokesperson for the Lejweleputswa police, says the five suspects could not account for the carcasses and a preliminary investigation revealed that two slaughtered cattle had allegedly been stolen from a farm near Theunissen.
The five men were subsequently arrested for stock theft and will appear in the Theunissen Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 30 June.
