Cape Town - Two City of Cape Town employees are among three suspects who have been arrested for copper theft worth R445 000 in Ndabeni.
Police spokesperson Ndakhe Gwala said members of the Economic Infrastructure Task Team and the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Investigation unit conducted an intelligence operation, which resulted in two arrests on Wednesday.
A third suspect was arrested on Thursday.
The suspects, aged 41, 48 and 49, will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once charged, Gwala said.
“The joint operation was carried out in the Ndabeni area (on Wednesday), where it was discovered that the suspects had illegally booked out copper buzz bars worth R445 246 from the stock room during 2022.
“Members of the Economic Infrastructure Task Team and the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Investigation Unit conducted an intelligence driven operation which resulted in the arrest of two City of Cape Town employees and a third suspect.
“They transported the stolen copper to a known scrap dealer in the area.
“Two males were arrested (Wednesday), and a third one this morning (Thursday) under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act.
“The stolen copper remains to be retrieved,” said Gwala.
Separately, three suspects were expected to appear in the Ladismith Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after they were caught transporting copper cables weighing 186 kilograms with a street value of R26 500 on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the suspects faced a charge of damage and destruction of infrastructure.
“Our pursuit to tackle the destruction of essential infrastructure led to the arrests of three suspects aged between 25 and 49 in the Waterkloof area, near Ladismith on Sunday.
“Members of Ladismith SAPS received information of a light delivery vehicle that is transporting stolen property.
“The identified vehicle was stopped and searched, and nine grain bags of copper cables with a weight of 186 kilograms were found on the back of the vehicle. The estimated street value of the copper cables is R26 500.”
Cape Times