Cape Town – Four cable theft suspects have been arrested in Mitchells Plain after being caught in possession of 10 mandrax tablets, 10 stoppe dagga and an unknown quantity of dagga wrapped in newspaper.
The quartet were arrested in terms of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act for damaging essential infrastructure and one of the suspects was also charged for the illegal possession of drugs.
"On December 26, Law Enforcement officers attached to the Rail Enforcement and Metal Theft Units were observing a well-known cable theft hot spot in Yellowood Street, Mitchells Plain, when they observed movement inside an open trench along the railway line," Cape Town Law Enforcement spokesperson Inpsector Wayne Dyason said on Friday.
"The officers approached and saw four suspects with cutting implements normally used to cut through the copper cables.
"The four suspects were searched and one of them was found in possession of 10 mandrax Tablets, 10 stoppe dagga and an unknown quantity of dagga wrapped in newspaper.
"All four were arrested in terms of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act for damaging essential infrastructure and the one suspect was also charged for the illegal possession of drugs."
The Cable Theft Unit is a special team that deals with vandalism, cable and metal theft and they rely on tip offs from the public. You can contact the 24-hour toll-free number on 0800 222 771.
Cable theft is thought to be the domain of people who see this as a way of making quick money. There are also syndicates who operate in conjunction with unscrupulous scrapyard dealers.