A 41-year-old Kuruman motor mechanic was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of stealing a client’s motor vehicle.
A 41-YEAR-old Kuruman motor mechanic, Riaan Harmse, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of stealing a client’s motor vehicle.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said Harmse disappeared with a vehicle that a client took in for repairs.
“On February 2, 2016, the complainant took his white Toyota Venture for repairs to Harmse in Kuruman. After paying the mechanic to fix and panel beat his vehicle, the mechanic disappeared without informing the client. The accused was eventually traced and arrested by the Northern Cape SAPS Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit (VCIU) on September 26, 2018, in Pretoria. Unfortunately, the vehicle was not recovered,” said Kock.
He added that Harmse was sentenced on April 3, 2024.
“The accused made several appearances in the Mothibistad Regional Court and was found guilty of motor vehicle theft. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, of which two years are suspended for five years.
“The VCIU investigation officer, Detective Sergeant Shadrack Sebolai, was commended for his meticulous investigative work that led to the outstanding sentence.”
Kock concluded by saying that the SAPS encourages community members to participate in the online “Rate Our Service” survey to help the police enhance their service delivery.
