LIMPOPO – A clean-up operation in the Maake, Letsitele and Ritavi Policing areas outside Tzaneen has resulted in the arrest of two suspects, aged 39 and 47-years-old, for the theft of transformers, says the police.
According to a statement issued by Police Spokesperson, LT Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, the joint operation conducted by the Maake crime prevention unit, Crime Intelligent and Eskom Investigation Unit, was focused on property crimes including the theft of transformers. A number of scrap metal home businesses were searched during the operation.
The following was recovered during the operation: 1x two litres of transformer oil, 1x 20L bucket filled with transformer oil, 1½ 20 Litre container filled with transformer oil, 5x transformer insulators, 1x transformer, a self-made pot made of transformer casing, a self-made transformer link, 1x chain block, 2x grinders, a wooden step ladder, 20 pieces of transformer casings, 5x transformer jumpers and pair of red rubber gloves. All items recovered are valued at R60 000.
The arrested suspects have been connected to several crimes in the area which include:
• Theft of transformer at Mogapeng village in Maake Policing area during August 2016
• Theft of transformer at Mafarana village in the Letsitele Policing area during October 2016
• Theft of transformer at Shipungu village in the Letsitele Policing area this year and
• Theft of transformer at Mariveni village in Ritavi Policing area on 2 November 2016
The suspects will appear before Lenyenye Magistrate Court and the Nkoankoa Magistrate Court soon.
Police investigations are still continuing.
