WHILE load shedding continues to wreak havoc in Mzansi, criminals are helping themselves to copper cables.
As a result, the Tshwane Metro Police Department’s (TMPD) cable theft unit has been working hard to apprehend thugs who steal cables.
On Tuesday night, 12 July, Metro cops conducted an operation after receiving a tip-off about people who were planning to steal them.
TMPD spokesman Isaac Mahamba said on Wednesday at around 2am, cops caught two suspects digging up the cable in the Suiderberg trench.
“They were arrested for tampering with essential infrastructure, and will appear in court soon. Over the past three months, about 200m of cable has been stolen from the same trench while the substation next to it was vandalised,” Mahamba said.
He said the city was expected to cough up about R375 000 to repair the stolen cables.
Mahamba urged the public to report cable theft on 012 358 1550 or go to the client service centre in Gezina at the corner of Frederika and Johan Heyns Drive.
