A 39-year-old Northern Cape man was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for motor vehicle theft and theft by the De Aar Regional Court.
IN A RECENT ruling, the De Aar Regional Court sentenced Jean-Pierre Bruyns, 39, to 10 years imprisonment on charges related to motor vehicle theft and general theft.
According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock, on September 18, 2023, Bruyns, who was employed at a farm in Loxton, stole a Toyota Hilux bakkie and farm equipment valued at R230,000. He also stole his employer’s petrol card to purchase R3,000 worth of petrol for the stolen vehicle.
Following the initial theft, Bruyns travelled to Beaufort West, where he further stole a trailer and two motorcycles.
Despite his efforts to evade law enforcement, members of the De Aar Vehicle Crime Investigations Unit (VCIU) successfully traced and arrested Bruyns on December 23, 2023, in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.
Unfortunately, the police were unable to retrieve any of the stolen goods.
In court, Bruyns was found guilty and sentenced to five years imprisonment for theft of motor vehicle and another five years imprisonment for general theft.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court also declared Bruyns unfit to possess a firearm.
Kock said the South African Police Service commended Detective Sergeant Samuel Witbooi of the De Aar VCIU for his dedication and hard work in securing the conviction.
