By OBAKENG MAJE
22 April 2025- Six suspects were arrested for alleged theft and tampering with/damaging critical infrastructure. This comes after Transnet security guards called the police in the early hours of Thursday morning and informed them that, there are suspects busy cutting cables in Christiana.
The North West police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Manyoba said it is further alleged that they found cable cutting implements at the crime scene. Manyoba said the police in Bloemhof were activated and reacted swiftly.
“They intercepted a Silver Honda with four occupants. Three suspects were apprehended and charged with theft and tampering with/damaging critical infrastructure, however, the driver managed to evade arrest and sped off in the Honda towards the direction of Hoopstad, enroute to Wesselsbron.
“The police in Wesselsbron were activated and managed to stop the driver of the Honda in Wesselsbron on the R34 main road at 07:45am. The fourth suspect, a Zimbabwean (36) was apprehended and also charged with theft of cables and tampering with/damaging critical infrastructure,” she said.
Manyoba further said the police followed up on more information received. She added that a white Toyota Fortuner was intercepted and searched in the morning at around 8am at a roadblock on the N12 road, near Rio Casino, in Klerksdorp.
“During the search of the vehicle, police found 184kg of copper cables. Two South African men aged 47 and 40, were arrested and charged for being in possession of suspected stolen cables after they could not account for the property in their possession.
“The police anticipate linking all six suspects with more theft of copper cables cases registered in the North West. The suspects will appear before the Christiana Magistrate’s Court on 22 April 2025,” said Manyoba.
She said more arrests are imminent as investigation into this matter continues.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, welcomed the arrest and congratulated the members for their effective coordination of information and their swift response that led to these arrests. Asaneng emphasized that the arrests and recoveries of suspected stolen aluminium and copper cables by the police, points to a serious security of threat of damage to critical infrastructure by well organized criminal syndicates, operating in the different parts of the province.
“The police working together with State-Owned Entities (SOEs) and municipalities in the province will leave no stone unturned in making sure that those behind this organized crime are prosecuted not merely for possession but for destroying or damaging essential and critical infrastructure,” he said.
The Guardian 