In a space of one month, the Ekurhuleni metro has made several arrests in three incidents involving over R30 000 in damages due to cable theft and is encouraging residents to report illegal activities.
The metro reported that two copper cable thieves were caught at work in Daveyton on April 7.
Upon arrival, the police found a pickaxe and spade. The trench had been extended by about 3.2 metres.
PILC cable, valued at over R1 500, had been partially cut and further chopped with the pickaxe.
The investigation revealed the repair work to the damaged cable will cost the metro R10 000 as the one-metre cable cannot be reused and more cable will need to be replaced too.
On April 10, two suspects, one South African citizen and a Mozambican national, were caught stealing copper cables at Voortrekker Bridge in Benoni.
On the crime scene, the suspects were caught with two metres of 185mm² and three core CU PILC copper cables.
They used one hacksaw, which was booked as an exhibit with Benoni SAPS.
The value of the stolen copper cable is worth over R22 000.
A 41-year-old man was caught stealing electrical infrastructure belonging to the Ekurhuleni metro under the bridge in Daveyton on April 10.
On the crime scene, the investigating team found a cut-off tree branch used to dig the trench, including a yellow hacksaw and a green handle.
The suspect was apprehended while digging that trench with the wooden object.
The team also found a damaged one metre of 185mm² and three core CU, 11Kv PILC cable, exposed inside the trench.
The cable forms part of the metro’s essential electricity infrastructure.
Residents are urged to report any illegal activity to the metro’s service delivery call centre on 0860 543 000.
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