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IOL News
08-08-2025
- IOL News
Mystery deepens as family of missing man pleads for police action
Quinton Bradley Plaatjies. Image: Supplied Five years after a 54-year-old employee of the Department of Correctional Services took early retirement and received a payout worth millions, only to never be seen again, his sisters have said the case has gone cold despite CCTV footage obtained of a woman and man who used his bank card and his vehicle. The family revealed that R100 000 had vanished from their brother, Quinton Bradley Plaatjies's bank account. In 2021, a year after his disappearance, the family made a public appeal for help via the Cape's Cold Cases, Weekend Argus. Plaatjies went on early retirement in 2019, after being employed at the Department of Correctional Services in Somerset East, where he worked for over 35 years. Plaatjies received a payout of close to R4 million left his home prior to October 2020 to visit relatives in Nysschen Street in Bethelsdorp in Gqeberha, and was never seen again. His brand new Ford Ecosport, which he paid cash for, was found abandoned on November 7, 2020, outside Beer Shack in Beach Road, Gqeberha. Items such as his false teeth were also left behind and his car was handed over as part of evidence. The Hawks was also roped in to assist with the investigation. Plaatjes's sister, Georgina Sammy, said they were appealing for police to utilise the video footage they obtained shortly after his disappearance, which showed a woman dressed in hijab and a man, who had masks covering their faces, using his bank card at an ATM where R100 000 was withdrawn. The transaction took place between October and November 2020 near Bethelsdorp in Gqeberha. Plaatjes's bank account was also frozen. 'We as the sisters of Quinton, we strongly feel let down by the police,' Sammy said. 'In the past three years we have heard nothing about the case. 'The lady in the footage was seen withdrawing the R100 000 out of the bank card, we do not know if she was interviewed. 'We had a tip-off that she was in Uitenhage, named Noomfie. 'The Hawks detective, I questioned him whether she was found and questioned and that she held the key to the mystery of my brother. 'Where did she get the cards from my brother? 'What happened with the interrogation? 'We were told to stay quiet.' Sammy added that their brother's bank account remained frozen and that vehicle was still in the possession of the police. 'They said they are on the case and that we must leave the case in their capable hands. 'What happened to my brother's car and when can it be released? 'What about the money in his account which was frozen? 'They said the leads ended in Uitenhage. 'There is footage of a man and woman, why can't it go viral and if someone recognises her? 'What about the DNA found on the steering wheel of his car?" Chaz Thomas from Track n Trace Missing Persons Unit, who has been assisting the family for the past five years, said they understood the family's frustrations. 'DNA tests were also taken from the sisters and nothing came from that after five years,' she said. 'There have been no significant leads and he cannot just have vanished off the face of the earth. 'We hope that someone somewhere sees him and comes forward.' Previously, Brigadier Thandi Mbambo of the Hawks said they had assisted with information with the case while the Eastern Cape police added that the case was at a sensitive stage and confirmed that the vehicle had been found abandoned. New queries were sent to the Hawks and Eastern Cape police and awaits feedback. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
Wales Online
05-07-2025
- Wales Online
Police say community has 'had enough' after fleeing driver crashes during chase
Police say community has 'had enough' after fleeing driver crashes during chase A member of the public tried to detain three occupants of a vehicle police said was involved in the pursuit A car crashed on Maerdy Road during a police chase (Image: Google Street View ) Police have praised a member of the public who attempted to detain three people suspected of being involved in a police chase. South Wales Police said officers were involved in a pursuit with a "stolen blue Ford Ecosport" in the Ferndale and Maerdy areas at around 4pm on Friday, July 4. Police said the car was driven "in a dangerous manner, having collided with another car near to the Premier shop, Maerdy Road". A spokesperson added: "The driver has then continued to drive dangerously which meant officers lost sight of the car. It was subsequently found abandoned near Maerdy Mountain." South Wales Police said a member of the public found the car, and attempted to detail all three occupants. They said he managed to detain one passenger, "bringing him into custody for the officers". PC Shaughnessy, from the roads policing team, said: 'This is a fantastic traditional community who have had enough of anti-social and dangerous driving and have said enough is enough. Article continues below "I would like to thank the amazing response we had from the community and without your help, we simply would not have caught one of the offenders. "The investigation continues and we need your help further, in identifying the other persons in the vehicle." Anyone with and information, particularly doorbell footage, CCTV or dash cam footage has been urged to contact South Wales Police quoting reference 2500212468. Article continues below Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here .
Sunday World
19-06-2025
- Sunday World
Men ordered to stand trial accused of IRA membership and having weapons
'We are New IRA, we are here to clean up the bars, if you don't clean up the bars we are going to do it - the bars are full of drugs' Three men were ordered to stand trial accused of IRA membership and having weapons. Standing side by side in the dock of Coleraine Magistrates Court, the three all confirmed their identities and that they were aware of the charges against them. The three men are: Michael Conwell, 31, from Castleton Square, Fintona; Dermot Burke, 60, from Bass Road in Dungiven; Oisin Conwell, 18, from the Gortscreagan Road in Claudy. The trio are jointly charged with two counts of membership of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possessing weapons in a public place, namely two metal poles. None of the background facts were opened in court but previous courts have heard how three masked men entered a number of licensed premises in Dungiven on 19 January 2024. Michael Conwell According to the police case, Michael Conwell 'leads the charge' with the firearm in his left hand as the trio of masked terrorists visited four pubs and St. Candice's GAA club over the course of an hour between 7-8pm. The gang declared to patrons during their 30 second visits: 'we are New IRA, we are here to clean up the bars, if you don't clean up the bars we are going to do it - the bars are full of drugs.' Dermot Burke Previous courts have heard how detectives had obtained CCTV footage from the various premises, and data from a Ford car connected to Michael Conwell, which suggests the Ford car met up with a white Citreon van in the car park of Owenbeg GAA on the Foreglen Road in Dungiven. That van was then used to transport the masked terrorists to each of the pubs, as well as St. Candice's GAA club. Police believe the registration plate of the van had been 'doctored with black tape' but that in actuality, the van belongs to Burke's employers and he regularly drives it. There was also evidence obtained by police which connected Michael Conwell to his mother's white motability Ford Ecosport car and also that a mobile attributable to him had been in contact on numerous occasions both before and after the incident, with Burke's mobile number. Michael Conwell and Dermot Burke News in 90 Seconds - June 18th The court heard that while the mobile phones of both Burke and Conwell show no activity during the hour while the masked terrorists make their intimidatory pub crawl, suggesting they had been switched off, Michael Conwell's Ford ecosport has a built in SIM card. A detective told the court that within 24 hours of Burke being arrested, someone had tried to perform a 'factory reset' on the car infotainment system to delete data stored on it but despite that, a PSNI technical officer had been able to retrieve GPS data which puts the car entering the Owenbeg car park at a time when it parks up beside the van used by the terrorists. In court, a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a case to answer against each of the defendants and their respective lawyers conceded the point. None of the three commented in the charges or called evidence on their own behalves. Freeing them all on continuing bail, District Judge Peter King returned the case to Belfast Crown Court and although he did not specify a date for their arraignment, he said it was likely to be on 12 September.
Western Telegraph
30-04-2025
- Western Telegraph
Appeal launched to help find missing Pembroke Dock man
Dyfed-Powys Police has issued an appeal to help find 32-year-old Daniel, who has been reported missing. Daniel is described as being around 6ft 1in tall, with ginger hair, blue eyes and infinity tattoos on his arms. He is also described as often wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses. He has an American accent and has links to the London and Bristol areas. An appeal has been launched to help find Daniel, who has been reported missing from his home in the Pembroke Dock area. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police) Daniel was reported missing from his home in the Pembroke Dock area, and was last known to be driving a blue Ford Ecosport with the registration CU17MLF. Officers are appealing for information to help find Daniel, and anyone who has information relating to his whereabouts should contact Dyfed-Powys Police, either by calling 101, by emailing 101@ or online via When reporting information relating to this appeal, quote the reference: 142 of the 23rd. Daniel is also asked to get in touch.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged with carjacking SUV outside barbershop
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man is scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon for stealing an SUV while the owner stood outside a barbershop with his son. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's probable cause statement, the theft happened on April 3 in the 4000 block of North Kingshighway Boulevard in the Penrose neighborhood. Police said John E. Weaver, 38, approached the victim while the victim was putting his son inside his vehicle, a 2020 Ford Ecosport. Weaver held his hand at his waist as though he were armed and demanded the victim take his son from the SUV. The victim complied and turned over his keys to Weaver, who drove off in the Ecosport, police said. The victim and his child were unharmed. Woman arrested for hit-and-run crash that killed bicyclist A short time later, an officer located the stolen Ecosport and began pursuing the vehicle Police said Weaver fled at high speeds while weaving in and out of traffic lanes. The vehicle was eventually stopped and Weaver taken into custody. Police said Weaver confessed to taking the SUV. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office charged Weaver with first-degree robbery and aggravated fleeing a stop. Weaver had been on probation for attacking a Department of Corrections employee in Cole County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
