Source says ‘interfering’ senior policeman should share blame for truck stolen from Langfords

While pressure is coming to bear on the police officer on whose
watch a truck full of building materials and tools was stolen from
the Langfords Police Station compound, a source says that a senior
police officer should also share the blame. 

Reports say the truck that was stolen has been involved in similar
incidents of larceny, and its owner and his spouse are known to the
Police, with several matters pending before the Districts A and B
courts.

A source tells REAL News that, weeks before the August 26 theft,
officers had been involved in a high-speed chase with the truck’s

owner, who allegedly had been caught stealing from a construction
site.

At that time, the alleged offender had managed to pack only some
steel onto the truck. However, it had not been properly secured and
reportedly fell off during the chase.
Officers managed to apprehend the suspect and took the truck into
custody. 

However, days later, the man – said to be a friend of a senior officer
– made a complaint that officers at Langfords were holding onto his
vehicle.

Reportedly, orders were then given by the senior lawman to return
the truck to the owner.

Allegedly, during a prior incident, the truck had been seized and
taken to Police Headquarters, and the battery had been stolen.
The senior officer reportedly made reference to this incident when
ordering his subordinates to hand the vehicle over to the owner –
since the theft of the battery had taken place in spite of cameras
being set up at that location. 

It was mere weeks later that the same vehicle was involved in
another theft and found, hidden, in a bushy area.
In that latest instance, it was taken to the Langfords compound from
which it was stolen. The lumber and tools, allegedly, were sold after
its disappearance.

Given that the truck owner has been involved in quite a number of
these incidents – which are known to the Police – the source says
the truck should not have been turned over to him.
After all, it should have been an exhibit in the larceny case, she says.

Accordingly, instead of blaming only the junior officer, the senior
officer should also be held responsible for the most recent incident,
the source states

She claims that this is not the first time this particular senior officer
has intervened in investigations – reportedly asking that persons
whom he knows be released from custody, among other “favours.”
Meanwhile, an Ottos man, said to be the stepson of the truck’s
owner, reportedly is now serving a seven-month prison sentence for
selling the lumber and tools.

He is alleging that he paid an officer $5,000 to steal the truck, but
refuses to identify the person.