Police pounce on power battery gang syndicate

An intelligence driven operation comprising of South African Police Service, Bidvest Coin Security, Ekurhuleni Tactical Task Team and local security companies led to the arrest of five suspects and recovery of Tower Back Up Batteries with an estimated value of R900 000.

The team has been following the suspects that are stealing back up batteries from Vodacom, MTN and Telkom towers.

It is alleged that the suspects broke into a tower in Midrand on Thursday and stole four batteries. The suspects were traced and located in a house in Rossetenville, Johannesburg. Upon searching the premises police found 65 more batteries bringing the combined value to R9000 000. It is believed that these other batteries were possibly stolen from other towers around Gauteng.

Five suspects aged between 20 and 43 were arrested and charged with possession of stolen property, theft and tampering with essential infrastructure. They will be appearing at Booysens Magistrates Court soon.

Police regard this arrest as a breakthrough given the recent increase in the number of network towers being broken into and back-up batteries being stolen in Gauteng