City Power confirmed in a statement that two of its security officers were among the suspects arrested at a copper cable storage facility in Booysens.

The suspects were arrested on Saturday, July 2.

Spokesperson, Isaac Mangena said preliminary investigation revealed that two security officers were in cahoots with external criminal elements.

“It was established that the security officers would arrange the thieving and organise the criminal elements to come through the back of the premises,” he said.

“They will then aid them to scale over the parameter or make an opening on the fence and take them to the copper cables to be cut and stolen. They will also assist them to take the cut cables over the fence.”

“We believe they have been doing this for some time, and suspect that there are more internal members involved,” said Mangena.

The suspects are expected to appear in Booysens Magistrate Court.

In a separate incident, a male suspect was arrested in Moffat View for cable theft.

The suspect was found with three stolen copper cables.

Mangena explained that loadshedding exarcebate the incidents of cable theft with more incidents happening when the lights are off.

“Just this weekend at least 23 incidents of theft of cables, fuses and batteries, as well as vandalism, were reported in different areas across the City of Joburg.”

City Power is please with the above arrests and hope it will produce a stiff sentence that fits the crime to serve as a deterrent to the cable theives.

“A week ago a suspect who was arrested damaging a transformer in our Jeppe substation was convicted to a 5yr direct imprisonment. This was achieved through the dedication by SAPS investigating officers, NPA Prosecutors and support by City Power Security Managment personnel,” explained Mangena.

Head of Security Management at City Power Mr Sergeant Thela said: “While we are happy about the arrests and convictions, we are worried about the involvement of our security members in cable theft crimes.

“As mentioned in the past we are working well with the SAPS-driven Essential Infrastructure Task Teams to root out essential infrastricture crimes in the City of Johannesburg. This will include arresting and prosecuting our own staff members if they are involved in these crimes,” added Thela.