Copper thieves nabbed in Pinetown

DURBAN – The police officers from Ethekwini Inner and Out West Cluster Task Team acted on information about the suspects transporting copper cables in their vehicles.

The operation was carried out on 10 February 2020 at 14:00 at Westmead industrial area on Fiscus Road in Pinetown. The team kept observation on the said place and they noticed the copper cables were being offloaded into a container. The suspects were approached at the premises and were placed under arrest.

Two vehicles were impounded as being used in the commission of the offence and taken to the police pound for further investigation. The recovered copper cables were positively identified by Telkom. The estimated street value is R500,000-00. Three suspects aged between 25 and 37 were charged for possession of suspected stolen property as well as charged in terms of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015. They are appearing at the Pinetown Magistrates’ Court today.

“It is very vital for the community to be vigilant and report any perpetrators found to be stealing essential infrastructure in our communities. By doing so it will assist us in the successful apprehension of the culprits involved,” said the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula.