Titon Security officers thwarted an early morning cable theft in Kanonkop while responding to a client’s home alarm in the leafy suburb.

While one Titon team responded to the home alarm, another team cornered the cable thieves, who were busy digging a massive trench next to the Lilian Ngoyi Street bridge at the fire brigade.

When Titon’s titans got out of their vehicles, the thieves made a run for it.

They left behind a trove of tools, including a saw, pick-axe, and shovel.

A large part of the electric cable they were after was left exposed.

The thieves showed some serious elbow grease with the trench, which is more than 30 centimetres deep, spanning some length.

They also damaged the walkway and paving with the digging.

The area is known for vagrants sleeping around the bridge.

They remain surprisingly hidden and are only seen when they leave their makeshift lairs in the early mornings or late at night.

Police were called to the scene by Titon, and the tools left behind by the culprits were confiscated.

The Middelburg Observer notified Municipal Manager Mandla Mnguni about the attempted theft.

He said that the electrical department would investigate whether any impactful damage was done.

He also gave instructions for the trench to be filled.