Metro police crack down on cable thieves
TSHWANE Metro Police Department (TMPD) officers have thwarted efforts by five suspects to steal electric cables at a power station in Pretoria west.
Sounding the alarm about cable theft were security guards who told the metro police that there were unknown men in the act of committing crime.
Members of the metro police's cable theft unit responded swiftly to the scene and the suspects fled in different directions as soon as they saw them.
One suspect was, however, arrested and on the scene police found 2 metre casings, 2m copper cable, hacksaw, hammers, chisel and hacksaw blades, among tools used for tampering with cables.
Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said a suspect was nabbed for tampering and damaging essential infrastructure and possession of a stolen cable.
“The members received a complaint of cable theft in progress on Sunday, January 28, 2024 from security guards at a power station in Pretoria west.
“The complaint was positive (and) upon arrival the officers spotted five suspects who fled in different directions when they were tactically approached,”he said.
Meanwhile, TMPD arrested 13 people for drunk driving during its anti-crime operation in region 6, east of Tshwane.
Mahamba said: “The operation was a success and led to the arrest of 13 drivers who were driving under the influence of alcohol. All the arrested drivers were tested, and they were beyond the legal limit of 0,24 ml. in correspondence with a breathalyser.”
In a separate operation the TMPD drug unit members together with Gauteng crime prevention wardens conducted an operation in the Pretoria CBD and Sunnyside area.
The anti-crime blitz led to the arrest of a 42-year-old Tanzanian national for dealing and being in possession of drugs specified as heroin.
Also arrested were three suspects aged between 30 and 45 who allegedly committed a robbery at Esselen Street in Sunnyside.
The three suspects were caught in possession of nine cellphones with an estimated value of R50 000.