News / Regional
Security guards open tuck shop to sell stolen goods
05 Apr 2014 at 05:14hrs | Views
TWO Plumtree security guards stole from premises they were guarding and opened a tuck shop to sell the loot.
Lawrence Ncube, 27, and Nkululeko Nkomo, 21, attributed their dishonesty to hunger saying they were not being paid by their employer.
The two work for a local security company managed by Noel Mpofu, which was contracted to guard Noczim Garage.
The owner of the shop, Pauline Mafohla realised that some goods were missing last week.
She questioned the two security guards who confessed to stealing the goods over a period of time.
The pair appeared before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa facing charges of theft and unlawful entry.
They were each sentenced to 18 months in prison of which six months were suspended for five years on condition that they do not commit an offence of the same nature.
Ncube told the court that he had gone for three months without being paid and he was hungry.
"I work on a daily basis but I have been getting nothing in return. It has been three months since I last got paid and our boss is always making excuses.
"I have a family to feed, your worship and the only way I saw out of my problems was stealing these groceries to open my own tuck shop. If I was being paid I would have probably opened a tuck shop and stocked it with my own groceries. I was desperate as I was hungry and my family was hungry," said Ncube.
Prosecuting Medica Tshuma said the security guards stole goods worth $254.
"On a date unknown but during the period January 1 to March 3, the two security guards gained entry into Noczim Shop and stole various groceries amounting to $254. The offence came to light after the shop owner went through her records and discovered that some goods were missing.
"She questioned the security guards who admitted to stealing the goods. The pair led the police to the stolen goods. Goods worth $239 were recovered and the security guards were arrested," said Tshuma.
The groceries comprised sugar, soap, rice, drinks and tinned foods.
Lawrence Ncube, 27, and Nkululeko Nkomo, 21, attributed their dishonesty to hunger saying they were not being paid by their employer.
The two work for a local security company managed by Noel Mpofu, which was contracted to guard Noczim Garage.
The owner of the shop, Pauline Mafohla realised that some goods were missing last week.
She questioned the two security guards who confessed to stealing the goods over a period of time.
The pair appeared before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa facing charges of theft and unlawful entry.
They were each sentenced to 18 months in prison of which six months were suspended for five years on condition that they do not commit an offence of the same nature.
Ncube told the court that he had gone for three months without being paid and he was hungry.
"I work on a daily basis but I have been getting nothing in return. It has been three months since I last got paid and our boss is always making excuses.
"I have a family to feed, your worship and the only way I saw out of my problems was stealing these groceries to open my own tuck shop. If I was being paid I would have probably opened a tuck shop and stocked it with my own groceries. I was desperate as I was hungry and my family was hungry," said Ncube.
Prosecuting Medica Tshuma said the security guards stole goods worth $254.
"On a date unknown but during the period January 1 to March 3, the two security guards gained entry into Noczim Shop and stole various groceries amounting to $254. The offence came to light after the shop owner went through her records and discovered that some goods were missing.
"She questioned the security guards who admitted to stealing the goods. The pair led the police to the stolen goods. Goods worth $239 were recovered and the security guards were arrested," said Tshuma.
The groceries comprised sugar, soap, rice, drinks and tinned foods.
Source - Chronicle
