Infrastructure damage: Suspects caught tampering with public electricity infrastructure

The early hours of January 27 saw crime-fighting operations that resulted in three suspects getting busted for tampering with electricity infrastructure.

One operation took place in Alberton north and the other in Raceview.

CPS Security officers were on regular patrol when they spotted two suspicious men walking on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Louis Trichardt.

The suspects took off running, leading to a brief chase and it ended with both men getting apprehended with stolen fuses in their possession.

The suspects were handed over to Alberton SAPS.

At the same time in Raceview – a few kilometres from where the two suspects got caught – a suspicious noise complaint on Lombard Street reached CPS’ control centre.

Reaction units rushed to the scene to investigate and found that several power boxes had been tampered with, including the theft of metres and fuses. This led to an extensive search around Lombard Street.

Security officers spotted an individual not far from where the theft and tampering of electricity infrastructure had taken place. Officers questioned the suspect and a search resulted in stolen items being found on him.

He was handed over to Alberton SAPS. It is still unclear if these incidents are related or completely separate from each other.

The arrests are an effort by local security and law enforcement officers to ensure that public infrastructure is protected in Alberton.