22 May 2018

A 42-year-old woman of Good Hope has been detained by Molepolole police in connection with several cases of house breaking and theft.

Dolly Balemoge was arrested last week after she was caught breaking into a nurse’s house at Scottish Livingstone Hospital.

Superintendent Charles Mbengwa of Molepolole Police Station said Balemoge, who is facing various counts of house breaking, stealing from a dwelling house and malicious damage, broke into different houses and stole clothes, electronic gadgets and food valued at over P15 000.

Supt. Mbengwa said when the suspect was questioned by residents who were suspicious of her, she either posed as a maintenance worker, a friend or a family member to the owner of the house she was targeting.

“The suspect targets institutional houses as it appears she has studied the times the owners of the houses will be at their respective work places.

On the 16th May she started with the police houses and broke into a few houses using a crow-bar.

In some houses she managed to steal items while in other houses she failed to steal anything. Immediately after breaking into some of the police houses, she went to the Scottish hospital staff houses where she broke into a few houses before her luck ran out” said Supt Mbengwa.

Supt Mbengwa revealed that at Scottish hospital she broke into a house unaware that there were people in the living room, and that she posed as a maintenance worker.

Unfortunately the owner of the house alerted the police who came to detain her.

He further explained that the suspect used different tactics to disguise herself.

He said she wears synthetic wigs or hair and that when she moves to another house she removed the hair and went with her natural hair which confused victims.

Supt Mbengwa also revealed that the suspect goes around carrying different keys, which she uses to try and unlock doors.

“She mostly targets houses where it looks like they are empty and when she breaks in she looks for money, as she scatters clothes and takes anything she desires.

She also looks for electronic gadgets and then moves to the kitchen where she takes mostly relish,” noted Supt Mbengwa.

Supt Mbengwa said the suspect was a wanted woman all over the country as police stations such as Gaborone, Palaye and Jwaneng have indicated that some residents had opened cases against her for house breaking and theft.

Supt Mbengwa cautioned residents to never leave their houses unattended as such people targeted unattended houses.

The suspect is to appear before Molepolole Magistrate Court on May 31.

If found guilty, she is likely to face imprisonment of up to seven years. ENDS