Theft is seemingly a problem at the Westonaria Purification Site as two suspects were arrested during two separate incidents in one day.

Westonaria Police spokesperson Captain Audrey Sefara said the first suspect was arrested at 07:00 last Thursday, August 18 while the second was arrested just hours later at about 13:45 on the same day.

Security officers from the Westonaria Purification Site spotted a group of men busy stealing metal inside the premises. When they approached them the suspects fled on foot, but the officers managed to stop one of them in his tracks and arrested him,” said Sefara.

Just hours later in a separate incident, another group of suspects were spotted stealing metal at the very same spot. While fleeing on foot only one of them was also arrested. The suspects aged 21 and 18 years respectively were charged with malicious damage to property, tampering with infrastructure and trespassing.

A week before, on Saturday, August 13, five people were arrested in connection with a fire that allegedly started at the sludge dewatering plant in Westonaria.

Also read: Five arrested in connection with fire at dewatering plant