City Power has welcomed the arrest of six suspects, including two of its own security officers, for alleged cable theft and vandalism in different areas over the past weekend.
The utility on Monday said the two security officers and three and three Mozambican nationals were arrested at the copper cable storage facility in Booysens, Pretoria, on Saturday.
The suspects are kept in custody at Booysens Police Station and will be appearing in court soon.
Since April City Power noticed theft of copper cables in the storage facility. No forced entry was detected, and no armed robbery took place at the storage facility.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that two security officers were in cahoots with external criminal elements. It was established that the security officers would arrange the thieving and organise the criminal elements to come through the back of the premises,” Isaac Mangena, the spokesperson said.
“They will then aid them to scale over the parameter or make an opening on the fence and take them to the copper cables to be cut and stolen. They will also assist them to take the cut cables over the fence.”
“We believe they have been doing this for some time, and suspect there are more internal members involved,” says Mangena.