Scrap metal thieves targeting North Durban homes
Durban North SAPS spokesman said he has seen a spike in theft of outside taps, pipes, pool pumps and other items which were being sold to unscrupulous scrap metal dealers.
SCRAP metal thieves have been targeting North Durban homes in the past few months for anything they can sell for profit. Earlier this year, the Durban North SAPS warned of a spike in brass number theft, then last month Greenwood Park SAPS warned of an increase in pool pump thefts. Now, thieves are targeting post boxes. The latest victim, Linda Webb, said she was appalled how thieves had chiseled her brass post box out of her wall. This is now the second case of post box theft.
“I’m heartbroken, we’ve lived at the property for more than 30 years and this post box is part of the family. I just couldn’t believe that these thieves had actually chiseled it out of the wall, it must have took them some time. I only noticed the gaping hole in my wall as I was driving into my property. I’ve now plastered the hole over and I’ve ordered a plastic post box because I don’t want to chance another item being stolen,” the Chelsea Drive resident said.
According to the Durban Chamber of Commerce estimates South Africa loses as much as R9.5-billion in copper theft alone every year. The cost of metal theft is even higher.
Capt Raymond Deokaran, added while there had been no cases opened, residents had reported outside taps, pipes and other items were being pinched and sold to unscrupulous scrap metal dealers.
“There’s no ways that these guys are carrying the stuff in the back of trolleys that may be the case in some instances, but we’ve also had cases of thieves stealing geysers. Some of them are coming into the area and using a truck or a bakkie to transport the bigger items. Unfortunately there’s money in it, whether its copper, metal or brass. We work closely with scrap dealers in our area and our feeling is the items are being taken out the area and sold,” he said.
