Thieves strike at crash scene
2010-03-15 09:34
Aldi Schoeman, Die Burger
Cape Town - A senior member of Laingsburg's ambulance service was one of the people who allegedly looted a truck which crashed on the N1.
The accident happened between Matjiesfontein and Touw's River.
Some of the thieves were believed to have started looting goods before the driver was rescued from the truck and taken to hospital, said police spokesperson, Inspector Lindikhaya Mkhontwana.
The truck overturned and lay next to the side of the road. The driver, who was heading for Gauteng, presumably fell asleep behind the wheel. He was seriously injured and taken to hospital via ambulance.
Police arrived at the scene during the early hours of Saturday morning after a passer by informed them of the accident.
Mkhontwana could not reveal at what time police went to the scene or whether police, ambulance services or traffic officials were at the scene first, as it could affect the investigation.
Spokesperson of the provincial traffic department, Xenephone Wentzel, said they were informed of the accident at about 01:00.
Wine, clothing, furniture
Boxes of wine from several farms such as Stellenbosch Hills, boxes containing Queenspark, Bretwood and J Crew clothes, as well as spices and furniture such as dining room sets were on the truck.
It is not known exactly what was on the truck before the accident happened.
Police started looking for suspects in the early hours of the morning and six men were arrested between 06:00 and 12:00. Some were arrested at their homes in Laingsburg and Matjiesfontein, about 60km and 33km from the accident scene, and others were arrested in their cars on the road.
One of the suspects was a member of Laingsburg's ambulance service.
The goods found in their possession were handed over to Kings Transport, the company that towed the truck away and transported the remaining freight.
It is not known if all of the stolen goods were found or to whom the truck belonged.
The suspects will appear in Laingsburg Magistrate's Court on Monday charged with possession of stolen goods.