The suspects, 35 and 57, were arrested on Tuesday (7/7) when police attached to the Welkom K9 unit received information about copper cable that was presumably stolen in transit to a second-hand dealership.

The information was operationalised, and police conducted a waylay in Stateway, Welkom. The vehicle, fitting the provided description of a silver Toyota Hilux, was spotted and intercepted.

“Two foreign national men were found in the vehicle,” said Free State police spokesperson Sgt Palesa Thabana. “Upon searching the vehicle, police discovered copper cable on the back of the van covered with a cardboard weighing approximately 594kg.

“The two males failed to provide documentation for being in possession of the copper cable. They were subsequently arrested for possession of suspected stolen property.

“The copper cable and the Toyota Hilux were confiscated by police and booked in as evidence for further investigations.”

Meanwhile, in June, action by off-duty police part of the Fezile Dabi task team led to the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of suspected stolen copper cable valued at over R1.8m.

The police, who were on their rest days, received a tip-off regarding a truck loaded with copper cable from Welkom. The information further alleged that the truck was scheduled to load additional copper cable at a known scrapyard in Kroonstad.

The targeted truck was spotted travelling towards Gauteng on the N1 highway and was successfully intercepted just after the Vaal Toll Plaza.

Earlier this month, two copper cable thieves were found guilty of tampering with essential infrastructure and sentenced by the regional court in Victoria West.

Last year, a Transnet employee was conducting routine patrols between Noblefontein and Hazel Station when he noticed two men digging up underground copper cables belonging to Transnet.

The employee immediately alerted the police. Upon their arrival at the scene, the two suspects fled in different directions; police chased and arrested Reboot Simon Ramphedi, 34, and Tsela Morobi, 41.

The court found both accused guilty and sentenced them to 16 years each for tampering with essential infrastructure. They were also convicted of contravening the Immigration Act, and each received an additional three-month prison sentence.

Upon completion of their prison terms, both men will be deported.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame sm

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