Rustenburg - Five men were arrested for theft of stationery at Gonyane Primary School in Mangaung, Free State.
Free State police spokesperson, Lieutenat Colonel Thabo Covane said the Mangaung Visible Policing Unit, Detective Branch and Bomb Disposal Unit led by Captain Tsietsi Mapuru, arrested the five on Saturday.
Covane said the police received information from the community members who learned of the break-in at Gonyane Primary School and knew of possible suspects in Joe Slovo Location in Phahameng.
"The team searched the first house in Joe Slovo Location and recovered some of the stolen stationery. The first suspect, a 20-year-old male was arrested. Information led to the arrest of the second suspect, 21-year-old male still in Joe Slovo. The third suspect was arrested at a house in Dr Lebona Street where the school is situated.
"The three suspects then led the team to two stores where they sold the other stationery. The first 36-year-old store manager was arrested in Bataung Street. Another store manager, 37-year-old was arrested back in Joe Slovo Location - Phahameng. Different books, rulers, rubbers, pens, pencils, sharpeners and other kinds of stationery was recovered from the stores."
The five were expected to appear in Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Monday, for house breaking, theft of stationery, malicious damage to property and possession of suspected stolen property.
R300 000 worth of new learning and teaching support materials were burnt at Gonyane Primary School in Mangaung in the early hours of Friday when a petrol bomb was thrown into the school.
Free State education spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, told IOL on Friday, that a used petrol bomb was found next to the burnt stationery.
IOL