Six suspects were arrested for the theft of overhead Transnet copper cables next to the N12 near Dronfield outside Kimberley.
The arrest of the suspects, all from Daveyton in Gauteng, followed information received of Transnet cables being stolen on Thursday, 9 November, at 03:00.
The information was immediately operationalised. Members of the K9, Local Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management units were deployed to assist. En route to the scene a vehicle with six occupants was stopped and searched. No suspicious items were found in their possession. The occupants claimed to be traveling to Beaufort West.
Upon further investigation it was discovered that the occupants of the vehicle were suspects involved in alleged cable theft and the damage to essential infrastructure.
The said vehicle with Gauteng registration plates was later spotted by members of the Bloemfontein K9 Unit while entering Bloemfontein.
The six suspects, aged from 30 to 50 years old, were apprehended, arrested and returned to Kimberley.
Sgt Merapelo Pilane, police spokesperson, said tools and copper cable weighing 420 kg, with an estimated value of R90 480, was discovered and positively identified as the property of Transnet.
The damage to the infrastructure is estimated at R124 000.
- In another police success, an 35-year-old alleged drug dealer was arrested in Paballelo in Upington on Friday, 10 November.
Members of the Upington Border Police and K9 unit followed up on information, and searched an identified house where they seized cocaine to the value of R90 720, dagga to the value of R1 300 and an undisclosed amount of cash believed to be the proceeds of drugs.
- Also on Friday, two suspects were arrested for stock theft and the possession of suspected stolen goods. Further investigation led to two more arrests of farm workers.
Sgt Omphile Masegela, police spokesperson, said a member of Rural Safety assisted in securing these arrests. This member on standby received information about a bakkie allegedly transporting stolen livestock on the Rietfontein road in the area of Upington.
Information was operationalised, whereby the vehicle was stopped and searched. The police recovered carcasses, a sheep and other items to the value of R8 000. The vehicle that was used in the commission of the crime was impounded.
The owner of the livestock was able to identify his property.
The four suspects are expected to appear in court early this week.
