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Cops won't book thief
13/09/2007 08:09  - (SA)  

Virginia Keppler, Beeld

Pretoria - A man who caught a thief on his property in Mayville and took him to the police, was turned away at Wonderboom police station because there was "not enough evidence".

A shocked Paul Oberholzer, 41, then grabbed the suspect and drove back to his home 500m away, with the man on the back of his bakkie.

His wife Sharlene then phoned the flying squad who immediately sent two policemen from the Pretoria North police station.

That police station is about 8km from Oberholzer's home.

The police found the suspect half naked on Oberholzer's bakkie, screaming and trying to injure himself.

"I tried to stop him because I didn't want the police to say that I'd assaulted him. My eldest son Barend, 20, and I also bound his hands and feet."

Oberholzer said the case was later transferred to Wonderboom police station.

'Didn't know if he had a firearm'

The drama began at about 01:00 on Wednesday when Oberholzer jumped over his wall to go and buy cigarettes at the filling station behind his house.

As he prepared to jump back over the wall five minutes later he spotted someone busy stealing power cables in his yard.

"He then scratched around in two of my cars, which weren't locked. He was presumably looking for radios but there were none. Then my dog Biscuit, who sleeps in the house, started barking."

Oberholzer's other children Azalia, 11, and Charl,17, opened the kitchen door to see why Biscuit was barking so fiercely.

"I jumped over the wall and ordered the children into the house because I didn't know if he had a firearm or a knife on him."

Shortly afterwards Oberholzer and Barend starting looking for the man in their yard. The suspect then jumped over the wall and ran down Mansfield Street.

"Barend ran after him and I followed them. A passing motorist came to help us. He took out his firearm and ordered the suspect to keep still. Then Barend and I arrested him and took him back to our house."

Police spokesperson Inspector Paul Ramaloko said a charge of attempting to break into a car was being investigated by Wonderboom police.

He also requested that Oberholzer file a complaint with the Wonderboom police commanding officer on the treatment that he had received there.