The Ocean View Care Centre has once again been the target of a break-in, but this time the suspected burglar was arrested.
Last year in January, the centre opened three weeks later than expected due to a break-in (Children’s safe haven closed due to break-ins,” Echo, January 25, 2018) and in September the Echo reported that the centre had been targeted at least 20 times throughout the year, (“Thieves target Care Centre,” Echo September 20, 2018).
However, on Monday February 4, the man believed to be responsible for several of the break-ins met his match when witnesses alerted police to the burglary in progress and he was arrested inside the centre at 1.30am.
Founder of the Care Centre, Johann Kikillus, said the door had been forced open with a crowbar and the burglar had packed all the items outside ready to go when he was arrested.
Mr Kikillus said the man had admitted that he had broken into the care centre before and said he sold the goods at a market opposite the Food Zone in Masiphumelele.
Police spokesman, Sergeant Leon Fortuin, said there were several credible eyewitnesses who confirmed that they had seen the 31-year-old man breaking into the centre on two different occasions.
He said the suspect, who is under investigation for the other break-ins, appeared in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday February 5 on charges of breaking and entering.
