Slim chance for Bioslim thief

2003-09-09 17:12

Pretoria - A Pretoria magistrate, his wife and their son were released on warning on Tuesday after being arrested and questioned in connection with the alleged theft of R1.6m worth of slimming products, police said.

"They remain suspects and were warned that they may be charged at any time," said Inspector Percy Morokane.

Police were investigating a case of possession of suspected stolen property, and have referred the docket to the prosecuting directorate for a decision as to whether the three should be charged.

The magistrate, 37, his 34-year-old wife and their 18-year-old son were arrested at their home in Zwartkop, Centurion, in the early morning hours.

Police were following up information relating to the theft of Bioslim products from a Centurion laboratory over the past two months.

Morokane said police confiscated Bioslim products worth about R18 000 from the magistrate's house. They were stored in an outbuilding.

A representative of the company from which the goods were stolen, Vitamin Laboratories, confirmed via serial numbers that the items found by police were the stolen ones, Morokane said.

The exact method of the theft was still under investigation, and Morokane could give no further information on the modus operandi or the magistrate's alleged involvement.

Police intended questioning several other people and more arrests were imminent, Morokane said.

- SAPA