According to the communication officer of the police in Carletonville, WO Peter Masooa, the security officers were driving on the R559 towards Blybank when they saw a Hyundai H100 bakkie turning from the gravel road next to the railway line. When they stopped to investigate, the bakkie also stopped.
Before the security personnel could get to it, the passengers jumped out and ran away. The driver was not fast enough, however, and was arrested in the Hyundai. The security personnel called colleagues for backup and searched the vehicle.

They found several pieces of stolen railway track, valued at R23,276 on the back of the vehicle. Cable theft on this particular section of the track has led to its closure and many residents who previously used trains to get to Johannesburg and back are now stranded.