Man arrested for attempting to sell his sister's television to buy drugs

Monday, February 23 2026 - A 24-year-old man was arrested in South Africa for stealing a television from his sister’s residence and attempting to sell it to buy drugs. 

According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), the alleged drug addict was nabbed in Redcliffe, KwaZulu-Natal on Friday afternoon. 

“Reaction Unit South Africa received a call at approximately 17:29 from a resident on Valley View Drive,” RUSA said in a statement on Saturday. 

"The caller reported that a man had approached him at his home offering to sell a 55-inch Samsung television for R350. 

"The resident suspected that the television may have been stolen and contacted the RUSA Operations Centre for assistance.

"Reaction Officers were immediately dispatched to investigate. 

"Upon arrival, officers interviewed the suspect, who stated that his sister had requested that he sell the television.

"Officers proceeded to the sister’s residence to verify the information. 

"A 10-year-old girl confirmed that the man was her uncle and alleged that he had stolen the television from the home while she was inside with her seven-year-old and two-year-old sisters. Their mother was at work at the time.

"When confronted, the suspect attempted to flee the scene. He was pursued and apprehended by a Reaction Officer.

The suspect’s sister arrived shortly thereafter and confirmed that her brother had travelled from the Eastern Cape two (2) days prior. 

"She indicated that she wished to register a charge of theft. The female believed that her sibling was a drug user and intended to sell the TV to purchase narcotics.

“The suspect was handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation.”