Cops score cable theft arrest hat-trick in minutes

Manenberg police made a significant breakthrough in their quest against curbing cable theft, when they arrested nine people on Tuesday June 3.

Captain Ian Bennett, Manenberg SAPS spokesperson, said the nine were arrested in three separate incidents at the same location, minutes apart.

“Five men, from the age of 25 to 34 years, two women aged 24 and 49 years, and a 16-year-old girl were arrested. They were caught red-handed while digging up live electrical cables on the corner of Vygieskraal Road and Thames Avenue in Manenberg. They were arrested in three separate incidents at the same location, minutes apart,” he said.

Just two weeks ago, police issued a stern warning to those who attack them while on duty, as the residents of Thames Avenue injured one police officer while they were trying to arrest perpetrators of cable theft.

Community Police Forum chairperson, Vernon Visagie, said cable theft has far-reaching consequences, which hampers service delivery to Manenberg. 

He pointed out that contractors coming to fix the infrastructure are also attacked or robbed. Ambulance services also have to wait for police escorts before entering the area, and with police vehicles damaged because the community attacked police, service delivery suffers greatly. 

Captain Bennett agreed, saying: “The ongoing theft and destruction of critical infrastructure is severely crippling essential services within the Manenberg residential area. Residents have been pushed to become desperate in their day-to-day survival, criminalising themselves. It has become worrying, as the community don't seem to understand the dire consequences it has on the very community they live in.

“Stealing electrical cables and reducing them as scrap is damaging and destroying critical infrastructure. This has shown the desperation of people, but also raises the question about who created the need to flood the market with copper and brass. We seem to be in a relentless battle to defend against the theft of electrical cables while a few community members want to steal it for a perceived means to survive.”

He said these arrests highlighted the brazen nature of these crimes and the dedicated efforts of SAPS members and law enforcement to combat crime.

Anyone with information regarding the theft of copper cable can contact Manenberg SAPS at 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.