Suspected cable theft syndicate in the Langlaagte area
Syndicate steals cables five times in two weeks.
Residents in the Langlaatge area woke up this morning to find that there was no electricity once again. The reason for this was because the electricity cables have been stolen for the fifth time in two weeks.
Cable theft has been an on-going problem in many areas in Johannesburg; however, the residents in Langlaagte are sick of waking up to no electricity almost every day. When the cables are finally replaced, it works for about two days until it is stolen again.
Residents have observed that the cable theft usually takes place on a Tuesday, Thursday and a Friday between 1 am and 3 am.
A resident witnessed the crime while it happened, “The first thing that goes off is the stoep lights and when that happens I know that they are busy by the box.
“I saw a white Ford bantam bakkie with a canopy that stopped, the guys threw the cables in and drove off.”
The eyewitness also claimed that the light on the left rear side was broken because when the driver applied brakes it gave off a bright white light.
According to sources, the bakkie does not park there by the box but it is parked on the other side of the flats. Once the syndicate is done taking the cables they then flash a torch light to signal that they have the cables.
The bakkie then pulls up, the cables get thrown inside and the syndicate drives off.
“If I go out and ask them what are you doing? They going to shoot me, so there is nothing I can do. I’m not going to put my life in danger,” said one resident.
In the previous cases when the cables were stolen the police were notified and they patrolled in the area however the syndicate was already gone.
Abraham Kriel which is a childcare organisation is also a target because the syndicate apparently watches if there are any police in the area and if not, then they go back to steal the cables of the organisation too.
Once the crime is reported it takes City Power another day or so to fix. The issue of cable theft does not only deprive the residents from having lights but it also causes an inconvenience to the pocket.
“We didn’t prepare ourselves but there are people who have gas stoves and battery operated lights, one of our neighbours had to throw away a bag of meat because it was spoiled,” said a source.
Residents managed to see another vehicle that was used to collect the cables one night. It is not only the white Ford bantam bakkie that is involved but sources have also seen an old brown station wagon Peugeot that has loaded the stolen cables.
