Eveline de Klerk
WALVIS BAY – The Namibian police in Erongo Region had their hands full in combatting crime this past weekend with reports of fuel theft, drug busts, illegal hunting, car theft as well as a case of impersonating a police officer.
Briefing the media on Sunday, Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu said the police are currently investigating the theft of a motor vehicle after a BMW valued at N$160,000 was stolen in Theo-Ben Gurirab Street on Sunday morning.
According to Iikuyu, the vehicle with personalised number plate ‘Mr VEE’ belongs to Vitalius Iipwaakena, who had loaned the car to a friend for the night. The car was parked at the State House nightclub, where it was stolen. The driver of the vehicle came out of the nightclub to find the car gone. No arrest was yet made.
Police also arrested an employee of an Engen depot at Walvis Bay for theft of fuel from the depot. It is alleged that the employee committed the theft on Friday, stealing three drums of diesel and one drum of petrol valued at N$9,000. The fuel was recovered at his residence in Kuisebmond. The employee was expected to make an appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
On Friday police also arrested a man for impersonating a police officer and demanding N$3,000 from the family of a man currently in prison, in order to destroy his docket.
The person allegedly told the family that he is ‘Warrant Officer Van Rooyen’ and that they should pay him N$3,000 to have the docket disappear.
“The family became suspicious and set a trap for the suspect. Arrangements were made to meet the family at the police station in Kuisebmond. He was then arrested on the spot while trying to collect the money from the family,” Iikuyu said.
In a different case, two men were set to appear in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court following their arrest on Friday for drug possession.
The first suspect, a South African, had 26 pellets of cannabis and 197 Mandrax tablets, some in quarters and halves. The drugs are estimated to be worth N$17,450. The second suspect was found with two Mandrax tablets valued at N$175.