Two arrested for allegedly stealing cellphone tower batteries worth R240K

Two people have been arrested for allegedly stealing batteries from cellphone towers in the Eastern Cape.

The two people, aged 42 and 44, were arrested by the Hawk’s Port Elizabeth Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit during the early hours of Saturday morning.

They come from the Western Cape but were arrested during a “buy and bust operation” in Patensie in the Eastern Cape, according to Hawks spokesperson Lwando Zenzile.

“Six brand new Vodacom cellphone tower batteries, still in their boxes, were also recovered during the arrest. It is suspected that these batteries were stolen directly, either from [the] Vodacom warehouse or the battery supplier,” Zenzile said.

The batteries are estimated to be worth around R240 000.

The two people are expected to appear in the Hankey Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

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