Update, 1.20pm
Ten suspects climbed through the broken fence along Main Road in Lonehill. They moved passed Medium A when they were spotted by prison patrollers.
“After we interviewed the one suspect, it became known that they are cable thieves were doing assessment and planning,” said Ravi Jiwuth, senior manager of Savika Armed Response.
“They were going to return in the evening, armed, to do their operation. We tracked the area thoroughly but could not catch the other suspects.”
Original article, 11.00am
Sanku Tsunke, the spokesperson for Leeuwkop Correctional Centre has confirmed that, contrary to reports on social media, there has not been an attempted escape.
Several suspects gained entry to the grounds of the prison and attempted to steal cables at 10am on 6 September. Sandton police officers are currently at the scene and the situation is under control. Authorities have caught one suspect and a manhunt has been activated for the other suspects.
Fourways Review will provide details as they become available.
This comes on the same day that a series of arrests that have been made around Johannesburg for cable theft.
We have made four more arrests today and unearthed a tremendous amount of stolen City resources. #WarOnCableTheft #MashabaInAction pic.twitter.com/EbDJHadzwm
— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) September 6, 2017
The scrap yard we inspected today has been officially sealed off as a crime scene, suspects in court tomorrow. #WarOnCableTheft ^NS pic.twitter.com/ndwtoDuy5V
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) September 6, 2017
The entire inner city is without power as we speak, the stolen cables amount to a R15 million loss for the city #WarOnCableTheft ^NS pic.twitter.com/JdaxolkCie
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) September 6, 2017
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