An off-duty Edenvale police officer confronted and arrested cable thieves on the R24.

According to Constable Bradley Goldblatt, he was driving on the R24 past Barbara Road towards Edenvale early on Tuesday morning when he spotted a white Isuzu bakkie on the side of the highway.

Approximately nine men were standing around the bakkie.

“When I stopped close to the vehicle, I saw the men loading cables onto the back of the bakie. I approached the vehicle and five of the men jumped into the bakkie and sped off,” said Const Goldblatt.

Two of the suspects fled the scene on foot. Another two suspects were caught.

Approximately 250 kilogrammes of Telkom copper cable was recovered.

“The men were only able to get away with three pieces of cable,” said Const Goldblatt.

The estimated value of the cable recovered is R25 000.