Johannesburg - Free State police have arrested a 37 year-old Zimbabwean national after he was found with copper cables worth about R200 000.
Four other accomplices fled and are still at large.
Aaron Mukutirwa was arrested on Thursday around 3am after 159kg of copper cables were found in his bakkie.
He appeared at Smithfield Magistrate court yesterday on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property and the case was postponed for further investigation to July 15.
Spokesperson for the Free State police, Colonel Thandi Mbambo said Mukutirwa was arrested after an off duty cop heard the noise of a falling object outside his yard at about 1am.
He went outside to investigate and allegedly saw five men busy cutting cables from street poles.
Mbabo said the officer also saw a white Colt bakkie loaded with cables.
The officer alerted the nearest police station.
“The police spotted the vehicle fitting the description given and they tried to stop the vehicle.
“The vehicle drove off in high speed and they gave chase. The suspect’s vehicle stopped and they vanished into the dark, but police managed to arrest one suspect.”
Mbambo said police were still looking for the other four suspects and anyone with information on their whereabouts should contact Detective Warrant Officer, Elizer Mohotse at 064 040 6629 or call Crime Stop at 08600 10111, alternatively send information via MySAPS.
The Star