Foreign nationals arrested for allegedly stealing mobile tower batteries

Five foreign national have been arrested for allegedly stealing Vodacom mobile network tower batteries in the Eastern Cape.

The Gqeberha-based serious organised crime investigation team, in collaboration with Addo Visible Policing and the Local Criminal Record Centre, handcuffed the foreigners this week.

Stolen batteries

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Avele Fumba said the suspects caused damage to the infrastructure when they allegedly stole the batteries.

“Preliminary reports indicate that a Vodacom tower situated at Kruis River was allegedly broken into and four Vodacom batteries were stolen.  A multidisciplinary police team swiftly launched an operation with the aim to conduct a stop-and search. During the operation a suspicious Datsun Go was intercepted near Addo and Jansenville.

“Upon searching the vehicle, the team discovered that it was transporting undocumented foreign nationals. Further reports indicate that five bags containing burglary tools were recovered. All five suspects were arrested on the spot,” Fumba said.

Fumba said the foreign nationals are set to make their first court appearance on Friday at the Jansenville Magistrate’s Court.

ALSO READ: Pastor jailed for 10 years over network tower battery theft syndicate

Mobile tower battery theft

Last year, Vodacom ramped up the fight against base station battery theft, which continues to be a huge challenge for the telco sector.

Although incidents of battery theft and vandalism have been stable in some regions, with no significant increase in the amount of incidents being experienced, in September last year, operations in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Gauteng regions recorded the highest number of attempted thefts, each accounting for 40% or more of such incidents.

Impact

When mobile network tower sites are vandalised or batteries are stolen, hundreds of thousands of residents are left without connectivity.

This not only affects individuals and small businesses, but also has serious consequences in emergency situations when making a call can be a matter of life and death.

In 2022, the Bethulie Regional Court in the Free State sentenced three men to 30 years in prison each after being found guilty of damage to infrastructure and stealing Vodacom tower batteries.

ALSO READ: Asset forfeiture order granted in MTN and Vodacom’s stolen cellphone tower batteries case