- Bath tubs, a caravan, pastor chairs stolen
Onamile Reotsweleng (56) of Gabane village is being held in custody for stealing a caravan measuring six metres belonging to Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Gabane.
Post Commander at Gabane police post, Assistant Superintendent Mbiganyi said once they received a report that the caravan was missing, they began searching for it and found it in Mogoditshane ready to be sold to a willing buyer.
“We found it just in time, the caravan was worth P33 000 and in it was some church belongings amounting to P57 000. Fortunately, nothing had been taken out when we caught him,” he said.
He said they are experiencing cases in which thieves are seemingly targeting churches, adding that churches must find ways of securing their premises, such as employing security personnel.
Just recently he was at Spiritual Healing Church in Gabane where some church items were stolen.
Leader and representative at the Gabane church branch, Diboy Motlhalamme this week said that they are being harassed by thieves who steal church property week in and out.
“They have been stealing from us from as far back as 2019, they have taken our expensive chairs that pastors normally sit on, sofas, cups, stoves, carpets, wall watches and many more.
They have even taken bathing basins (dibata) that the church uses for religious practices. We have been left empty-handed,” Motlhalamme said.
He added that it was disturbing that thieves fear nothing to the point of breaking into church premises and doing as they please.
They recently got the shock of their life when they found that they had broken church doors down and helped themselves to anything in sight.
“The church is disturbed. We do not know how we will continue worshipping when we are forever finding things stolen in the church. We realise that the issue is now taking a turn for the worst."
Post Commander at Gabane police post, Assistant Superintendent Mbiganyi said once they received a report that the caravan was missing, they began searching for it and found it in Mogoditshane ready to be sold to a willing buyer.
“We found it just in time, the caravan was worth P33 000 and in it was some church belongings amounting to P57 000. Fortunately, nothing had been taken out when we caught him,” he said.
He said they are experiencing cases in which thieves are seemingly targeting churches, adding that churches must find ways of securing their premises, such as employing security personnel.
Just recently he was at Spiritual Healing Church in Gabane where some church items were stolen.
Leader and representative at the Gabane church branch, Diboy Motlhalamme this week said that they are being harassed by thieves who steal church property week in and out.
“They have been stealing from us from as far back as 2019, they have taken our expensive chairs that pastors normally sit on, sofas, cups, stoves, carpets, wall watches and many more.
They have even taken bathing basins (dibata) that the church uses for religious practices. We have been left empty-handed,” Motlhalamme said.
He added that it was disturbing that thieves fear nothing to the point of breaking into church premises and doing as they please.
They recently got the shock of their life when they found that they had broken church doors down and helped themselves to anything in sight.
“The church is disturbed. We do not know how we will continue worshipping when we are forever finding things stolen in the church. We realise that the issue is now taking a turn for the worst."
