The local South African Police Services, Telkom and Eskom are on a mission to root out cable and copper thieves.
The local South African Police Services, Telkom and Eskom are on a mission to root out cable and copper thieves.
The Grahamstown SAPS firearm, liquor and dealership unit (Flash) is currently conducting an inspection called Operation Strongo where they visit scrap metal dealers and second hand dealerships to root out any parts that may be stolen.
On Friday, the police team visited an unauthorised scrap yard in Extension 6 opposite Miki Yili Stadium where they discovered stolen copper parts and electrical cables. Some parts were even found hidden in a building under a bed, in buckets and in adjacent rooms. Apparently, the scrap yard dealer was paying R20 per kilogram for scrap metal, most of which was stolen. When the police weighed the bags, stolen copper cables belonging to Eskom weighed 198kg while the Telkom cables weighed 8.5 kg. The combined wieght of the cables amounts to R40 500. After the discovery, a case of theft was opened, the scrap yard was officially closed and the dealer, Shadrak Qwenya, was arrested for theft. Captain Gerrit Swarts says that "the dealers didn’t even have an identity document but they are running a business that deals with stolen parts which also lead to the arrest".
Ward 6 councillor, Zonwabele Mantla says that residents have reported a spate of stolen property such as gates, taps, zinc tubs and poles from their homes. He also said that he was advised by the police on how to deal with such criminal actions and he has been helping to report these crimes. "The theft of cable and copper interupt services in the community," he said, adding that cable thieves are stealing from tax payers.
During the inspection members of the local Telkom and Eskom branches took photographs and recorded the weight of the metals for auditing purposes. More inspections will be conducted in various places in the next few weeks. Police are urging members of the community to assist them by reporting such crimes in their area. If you suspect any person of selling or stealing scrap metal phone 046 603 9300.
