Combined effort by police and CPF lead to successful cable theft arrest
"The suspects who are now starting to steal the underground cables are becoming more and more noticeable."
A member of the Moot community informed CPF officials on Monday, May 16 around 18:30 of a man on the railway line between 22nd and 25th avenues stealing cables.
Moot CPF chairperson Elsabé Weyers notified police officers where they found a 28-year-old suspect with copper cables in his possession.
A pick was also found in the man’s possession. According to the Moot’s CPF patrolling officer, Willie Cloete, they noticed the suspect in the bushes on 25th Avenue.
“The suspect dug a ditch to get to the underground cables.
“The suspect also had a screwdriver and personal belongings with him. The suspect’s shoes and hands were also covered with soil. We suspect that he was already digging the hole earlier in the day and came back later to steal the cables. No other suspects were noticed,” said Cloete.
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Cloete said that this modus operandi is similar to several other scenes, where underground cables on the railway lines are now being stolen.
“There are almost no overhead cables left on the railway lines in the area as most have already been cut and stolen. The suspects who are now starting to steal the underground cables are becoming more and more noticeable,” said Cloete.
Moot police station spokesperson Captain Anton Breedt said the suspect will soon appear in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on charges of possession of stolen property.
“The suspect is in custody at the police station. The value of the cables has not yet been determined.
“We would like to thank the community for their involvement with the police as well as the CPF. Together we can make a real difference to prevent any crime in the area,” said Breedt.
“We would like to encourage the community to report any suspicious activity to the police or the CPF.”
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