ERMELO – ACSU Security Services recovered a black plastic bag containing suspected stolen copper cable in Ermelo East during an early-morning incident on September 20.

Security officers responded at about 04:20 after two suspicious men were seen walking at the corner of Pet and Church streets carrying the black bag.

Eddie Dludlu and Alkom Mhlanga, the reaction officers involved in the response, set off after the men when they were approached and subsequently fled, leaving the bag behind.

According to Bester Maree of ACSU, the suspects were on foot and had no additional cable in their possession when they fled.

The bag contained only copper cable, and no tools were recovered.

Despite the foot chase, both men managed to escape.

No information has been received at this stage indicating that municipal infrastructure was damaged or that any services were affected.

The recovered cable is suspected to have been stolen, although the circumstances surrounding its possession remain unclear.