An alleged thief who stole a motorbike was nabbed after he was dom enough to advertise it on Gumtree.
Police say the bike was stolen in Muizenberg and it was recovered in the possession of Nico Applegreen in 6th Avenue, Grassy Park.
The 27-year-old suspect made his first appearance in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday after he was arrested on Friday, a year after the bike was stolen on 6 January 2023.
The State said after the motorcycle was stolen, the owner checked online markets and last week found it listed on Gumtree.
The court heard: “The owner then pretended to be a customer and was going to buy it for R40 000. He then set up an appointment with the accused and the buyer went to the address given by the accused with the police.”
According to the charge sheet, Applegreen is accused of theft and possessions of stolen property after he could not explain to police how the motorbike, a Suzuki GSX-R750 valued at around R200 000, came to be in his possession.
The document reads: “In the district of Wynberg, the accused was wrongfully found in possession of goods other than stock and produce as defined in Section I of the Stock Theft Act 57 of 1959 to with Motorbike Suzuki GSX-R750. In regard to which there is a reasonable suspicion that it was stolen and is wrongfully unable to give a satisfactory account of such possession.”
It further states that the accused did not have the permission of the owner to sell the bike and as such is accused of theft.
It adds: “Without having reasonable cause for believing at the time of such acquisition that such goods were the property of the person’s, from whom he/she received them or that such person is/had been authorised by the owner there or to be in possession of them.”
Applegreen abandoned his bail application and the matter was postponed to 1 March for further investigation.