Burglary blow for Bay SPCA

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BRAZEN burglars broke through a wall and two doors before using crowbars to muscle three safes off the office wall at the Richards Bay SPCA early on Sunday morning.

Already battling financially, the centre’s weekly takings and an expensive bolt gun were among items stolen – but more seriously, eight bottles of a lethal drug used to euthanise animals were also taken by the criminals.

The incident took place shortly before 3am.

‘It only took seven minutes, before the security company responded to the alarm, for them to remove a vibrocrete panel from the perimeter wall, crawl onto the premises, smash the door locks, force the safes from the wall and make their escape,’ said SPCA Chairman, Denis Botha.

‘They had walked right past the kennels and the dogs must have gone crazy but it was rainy and windy and a staff member sleeping on the premises did not wake up.

‘We were able to follow the muddy footprints.’

Botha is especially worried about the stolen drug, brand name ‘Euthapent’, which could prove fatal in the wrong hands.

‘The bolt gun, used to stun large animals, is also dangerous.

‘If anyone should have any information on the break-in or the whereabouts of the stolen items, they can contact me on 083 6521611 or the office on 035 7532086.’