Recent thefts in Southern 'burbs

[T-Bob]

There has been a rise in bikes being nicked in the southern 'burbs of CT (mainly Rondebosch, Rosebank, Newslands etc). Just the other day I got another NHW report with a couple of very nicely kitted out Morewoods that had taken a walk from a locked store room. 
 
I just recieved this msg from the local Neighbourhood Watch and might be useful if your bike has recently taken a walk. Also trying to find out the exact location from a friend in the area who claims to have seen a lot of expensive bikes moving in and out / for sale of a place in Phillipi. Once that is found out will report to the police asap. 
 

"Thanks to Jane K for the following report, in response to recent Newsflashes about the theft of bicycles:

 

On 12 March the RNW reported a bike being stolen in Alma Road. I subsequently heard that my niece’s bike had been stolen on the same day from behind a locked gate in Rondebosch. She was informed about this by a friend who had recently worked on her bike and happened to see it at a bike ‘shop’ in Salt River/ Woodstock where she had been sent to buy something. The friend (thinking the owner was unaware that this was a stolen bike) told him that it belonged to her friend and asked him please to hold on to it. He claimed it had been brought in by another customer for servicing. The next day the two of them went to the house where the bike had been seen, with officers from the Woodstock police.
 
The owner refused to let them in, but finally, after pressure from the police, he did open up to let them  look for the bike. Unsurprisingly by this stage it had disappeared. The owner then claimed he had never seen a bike of the description they gave and was extremely abusive to them.
 
Although the bike could not be found, my niece found her bike pouch and was able to describe to the police the exact contents before opening it, which provided further evidence. The police then found loaded unlicensed firearms on the property and arrested the owner. He was to have appeared in court on 16 March but as far as we know the case was postponed and he is still being held at the Woodstock police station.
 
The police were very helpful as they had recently dealt with a similar case involving these very dodgy premises. Our guess is that the owner buys bikes off a gang of drug addicts who are willing to do anything for a bit of extra cash. There have since been a number of reports in RNW emails about bikes being stolen and I wonder if it is not all part of the same syndicate.
 
I do not have the name or address of the bike ‘shop’ as it is really just a house, but the case number at Woodstock police station (CAS 255/3/2015) should be sufficient to follow up if anyone else’s bikes have been stolen by the same crowd"

[T-Bob]

Nice to know that there is some movement against these guys.