MOST of the copper pipes and cables that are stolen from properties in Amanzimtoti and its surrounds end up at the illegal scrap-metal dealerships that have mushroomed outside the town’s boundaries.
The Community Crime Prevention Organisation Amanzimtoti (CCPO), ET Rapid Response, SAPS and eThekwini Municipality officials pounced on four such dealerships near Amanzimtoti which had been under surveillance for a while.
Also read: Four arrested for possession of R2.3m worth of copper in Isipingo
The CCPO’s George Snodey said these illegal dealerships promote crime in the area by creating a market for cable and copper thieves.
“If you have had copper pipes stolen off your walls or your air conditioner stripped around Friday or Saturday, they were more than likely in this lot. We are not relenting on these illegal scrapyards on our boundaries which are creating a market for the thieves. Some of these pipes still had water and oil in them, meaning they had recently been stolen,” said Snodey.
Two people were arrested and two others were fined R3 500 each. Electronic scales were impounded from the premises.
In a separate St Winifreds incident, which happened at around 03:00 on September 4, the CCPO responded to a report of cable theft in Raymond Crescent. The thieves fled, leaving a large quantity of stolen copper cables.
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