Police recover cache of stolen Tshwane copper cables in Silverton
An employee who offered the police a R5 000 bribe to let the manager go, was placed under arrest together with her boss.
A police task team recovered stolen copper cables worth over R100 000 from a registered recycling business in Silverton on Friday, police said.
This after the Tshwane police essential infrastructure task team followed up information about a business in the industrial area that was buying copper and hiding it.
“On arrival at the recycling business, the police found a bag filled with copper cables in front of the manager’s office,” police spokesperson Captain Anton Breedt said.
He said when the police asked the 54-year-old manager about the copper in the bag, he told them he had bought it from a company that deals with that type of cable.
“The officers then asked if they can inspect the premises and he agreed. During their inspection they found a big pile of copper wire in bags packed behind the building on the far corner away from the place of operations.”
He said when questioned about the find, he could not provide any explanation or permit to trade in copper cables.
“We checked with the cable theft unit of the Tshwane metro police and it was confirmed that it [cable] is the property of City of Tshwane.”
Captain Breedt also revealed that a drama erupted during the arrest.
He said a female employee offered to pay the police R5 000 to let the business manager go.
“While the officers were searching the premises, a 41-year-old female employee approached to bribe them with R5 000.”
He said she wanted the police “to overlook the cables and only give the business a warning”.
The officers immediately placed her and the manager under arrest for possession of stolen property, bribery and violation of the Second-hand Goods Act, he said.
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