A Kensington couple accused of stealing a container filled with chocolates worth R1.5million were released on bail by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court after their dramatic arrest over the weekend.
Soraya and Aslam Karriem were busted at their properties in Kensington on Saturday as the Flying Squad swooped in and raided a house and a huiswinkel run by Soraya, 54.
According to a Daily Voice source, the woman is known for allegedly selling stolen goods at cheap prices to residents and was caught with boxes of choccies piled up in her winkel.
“They are a couple but they are divorced. Die hele ding was dramatic soos die Flying Squad ingekom het,” says the source.
“It was an intelligence operation because they knew to go to the winkel and the house of the husband at the same time.
“There were cops in balaclavas and red berets en dit was amper soos Cyril [Ramaphosa] nou in die plek is. They raided both properties at the same time and they were both arrested.
“It seems that all the chocolates and appliances were stolen from a container in Table Bay Harbour last week already and first taken to Parow before they stored the stash at their properties.
“We are not sure how they managed to steal a whole container filled with goods but it’s seker an inside thing.
The source adds: “She is known for selling a klomp stolen goods like if you want Nikes from Jack Lemkus wat nou R1800 is, dan kry jy dit sommer vir R800 by haar.”
Police spokesperson, Colonel Andre Traut, says officers from the SAPS Flying Squad reacted on intelligence that a stolen cargo container full of chocolate bars was being offloaded at an address in Kensington.
“Upon arrival at the scene, two suspects aged 54 and 60 were arrested for the possession of the stolen cargo valued at R1.5 million as well as presumed stolen home appliances,” he says.
“It was discovered that the cargo container was stolen at the Cape Town Harbour last week.”
The duo appeared at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court where Soraya was granted R10 000 bail while Aslam was granted R5000 bail.
The case was postponed to 26 October.
Community Police Forum chairperson, Cheslyn Steenberg, applauded the work of SAPS and called on the courts not to disappoint the community.