Durban — A 26-year-old man is expected in court after he was arrested by police who found him in possession of lead and copper in the south of Durban.
Police were conducting an operation with Telkom, MTN, Transnet and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.
Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said on Monday, the Economic Economic Infrastructure Task Team (EITT) were conducting operations in Isipingo and surrounding areas when they made the arrest.
“They arrested a 26-year-old man who was found in possession of 399kg of lead and 190kg of copper as well as 32kg of burnt copper,” Ngcobo said.
She said the suspect was charged with theft, and he was expected to appear in the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, the EITT acted swiftly after receiving intelligence about cable theft on a railway track at Mobeni near SJ Smith Hostel.
“The EITT members followed up on the information, and it led them to Swinton Road where they found three men in possession of fifty-one metres of copper cables, eight bundles of copper cables, seven metres of aluminium cable,” Ngcobo said.
She said the suspects, aged between 16 and 26, were arrested and charged with theft.
Daily News