Suspect’s robbery plan comes a cropper

A nature conservation officer in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is scheduled to appear in the Maltahoehe Magistrate’s Court on theft of cash and cheques of more than N$200 000.

The man called the Police on Thursday afternoon claiming to have been robbed while travelling from Sesriem to Maltahoehe to bank money from resorts in the area. He claimed that an armed and masked man held him at gunpoint on the Tsaris Pass, took only the cash before making a getaway in an unidentified vehicle.Police Public Relations Head Chief Inspector Hieronymous Goreseb said yesterday that detectives on the case soon realised that the “story lacked credibility”.It led to the man being arrested as a suspect.On Saturday he admitted to investigators that he stole the money himself and hid it in a shallow hole about 15 kilometres from the spot where he was alleged to have been robbed.Cash totalling N$185 415 has been recovered.He claimed that an armed and masked man held him at gunpoint on the Tsaris Pass, took only the cash before making a getaway in an unidentified vehicle.Police Public Relations Head Chief Inspector Hieronymous Goreseb said yesterday that detectives on the case soon realised that the “story lacked credibility”.It led to the man being arrested as a suspect.On Saturday he admitted to investigators that he stole the money himself and hid it in a shallow hole about 15 kilometres from the spot where he was alleged to have been robbed.Cash totalling N$185 415 has been recovered.