Warrants of arrest were authorised at the Grahamstown Magistrate's court last week for two of 12 people accused of stealing bricks from a derelict municipal building last month.
Grocott's Mail reported on 7 September on the arrest three days earlier of two men whose bakkies were partly loaded with bricks and materials taken from an old municipal building.
Warrants of arrest were authorised at the Grahamstown Magistrate's court last week for two of 12 people accused of stealing bricks from a derelict municipal building last month.
Grocott's Mail reported on 7 September on the arrest three days earlier of two men whose bakkies were partly loaded with bricks and materials taken from an old municipal building.
They were among 12 people arrested at the site near the corner of Currie and Fitzroy Streets. The bakkie-owners claimed that they didn't know the bricks had been stolen.
The only use the building has seen in years has been by Ward 3 councillor Marcelle Booysen, whose office is on the premises. In recent months it has been vandalised and stripped of roofing, bricks and other materials.
The police pounced on the men while they were busy loading the bricks.
When Grocott's Mail arrived on the scene that day, 10 people were crammed in the back of a police van, while the two bakkie-drivers were told to follow in their vehicles to the police station.
Mind councillor Devon Waldick, who was present when the arrests took place, believes damage to the property amounts to more than R3 million. He warned members of the community not to buy materials looted from the site, saying police could raid their homes if they were suspected of being in possession of stolen goods.
Police spokesperson Mali Govender confirmed at the time that 12 people, one of whom was a woman, had been arrested. She said they had been charged with theft and damage to property.
The suspects appeared briefly in court on Friday last week. Two failed to appear, prompting the state to call for warrants for their arrest.
The case was postponed to 9 November for further investigation and final bail orders and their bail was extended.
