ONE man was arrested after he and two accomplices were caught cutting telephone cables on Collard Road, in Umgeni Park on Sunday, 6 July at approximately 3pm.
The arrest was made by a Marshall Security response officer. The men fled when they saw the vehicle but the response officer managed to apprehend the. Authorities recovered cables in the suspects possession and additional cables at the scene in nearby bushes. Greenwood Park SAPS reportedly took custody of the alleged thief after the arrest.
Residents expressed their frustration and outrage with regards to the recent prevalence of cable thefts in the area. On Facebook. Mellisha Bhawanideen, a Greenwood Park resident, reported that she and her neighbours along Effingham Heights have to deal with cable thefts and power outages on daily basis. “The police say there’s nothing they can do,” she wrote. Nikita Belinda Sanson wrote, “In Norrie Avenue they stole cables four times in one month.” Odette Swat Bouwer wrote: “Well done. So tired of them. They stole our copper pipe in Agar Place about two weeks ago.”
Many of the residents expressed concern regarding the conviction of the cable thefts on the social media site. According Tyron Powell, head of Marshall Security, sentencing is dependent on various factors, such as the value of the stolen items and the circumstances of the incident. “It is entirely determined by the magistrate. First time offenders are often give a lighter sentence,” said Powell.
He urged resident to report any thefts to police. “Cable and copper thefts are often seen as a petty crime and residents do not report them, which makes convictions impossible,” he said.
No comment was received from Greenwood Park police at the time of publication.
