Copper cabling thief apprehended by Ria Sebetsa response team

Ria Sebetsa Security Service CEO Danny Maduray has expressed concerns of a troubling trend involving suspects that have been apprehend in Midrand for engaging in criminal activities.

He said these individuals often do not end up in police custody, which raises questions about the effectiveness of the current system in dealing with crime in the area.

Maduray emphasised that while their security response teams are quick to react to reported criminal incidents, there are occasions when they find themselves waiting for extended periods, sometimes several hours, for police officers to arrive and take the suspects into custody.

Read more: Police nab three alleged copper thieves

“This delay is particularly frustrating because the security personnel are not authorised to make arrests themselves, their role is limited to apprehending the suspects until the police can take over,” Maduray explained.

Despite these challenges, the officers from Ria Sebetsa Security are consistently present on the ground, actively monitoring and responding to incidents.

Recently, they successfully made another apprehension, which involved calling the police to the scene to handle the suspect. This incident occurred on July 29, when the security team intervened in a case of copper cabling theft and property damage affecting clients in the Vorna Valley area.

According to Maduray, the 24/7 command centre received crucial information indicating that a suspect had stolen cables from a light pole situated in Vorna Valley. In response to this intelligence, he stated, “our response team was immediately dispatched and located the said suspect.”

Also read: Four men suspected of copper theft arrested

Upon their arrival, the suspect became aware of the response officers approaching and attempted to evade capture. He was seen carrying a black plastic bag, which he hastily threw over the wall of a nearby house as he continued to flee from the scene.

Maduray further explained that the suspect had caused damage to the electric fencing of a property in order to gain access and then proceeded to jump between five houses in a desperate attempt to escape.

In a well co-ordinated effort, the Ria Sebetsa team strategically pursued the suspect, which ultimately led to his cornering and apprehension in a nearby residential complex in Vorna Valley.

Notably, the suspect had also damaged the electric fencing of this complex to gain entry. During the apprehension, officers discovered copper cabling, electrical fuses, and other stolen items both on the suspect’s person and inside the black bin bag he had been carrying.

Following the successful apprehension, the Midrand police were promptly dispatched to the scene, and the suspect was subsequently handed over to the police for further processing.

Maduray took this opportunity to urge the community to remain vigilant and proactive in reporting any suspicious behavior or providing anonymous tip-offs to their 24/7 control room, emphasising the importance of community involvement in enhancing safety and security.

In the meantime, the Midrand Reporter has been attempting to reach out to the District police spokesperson, Captain Jeff Phora, to confirm whether the suspect was officially arrested and whether he has made an appearance in court.

However, as of August 6, no response had been received by the time of going to print, despite questions first being sent on August 1 with multiple follow ups.

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Related article: Copper cable theft lands men in cuffs