LIMPOPO – A large cable theft syndicate has been disrupted following a weekend operation by the police, in collaboration with various stakeholders in the city.

On Sunday morning, police seized sacks weighing 27 tons filled with suspected stolen copper cables, along with five additional sacks containing aluminium scrap metals, valued at an estimated R2m.

A 30-year-old foreign national was arrested and appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing charges for possessing stolen goods, according to Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Hlulani Mashaba.

The bust occurred when a team of safety and security authorities intercepted a white truck with two trailers along the N1 North at around 09:30. Police instructed the driver to stop and obtained permission to search the truck and its trailers, where they discovered the stolen items.

Eskom personnel were called to the scene and confirmed the copper cable as their property.

Cable theft has been a persistent issue affecting Eskom and the Polokwane Municipality, severely impacting financial progress due to constant replacement costs.

Mayor John Mpe has repeatedly requested police assistance in making arrests, and municipal by-law enforcers have handed over numerous suspects involved in stealing cables from street and traffic lights.

Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala reported that on January 11, municipal enforcers successfully stopped a thief cutting cables from the Gamma substation in Ladanna. The suspect was arrested and handed over to the Westenburg police.