Johannesburg - Members of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department on Monday arrested a suspected copper cable thief in the Joburg CBD.
The JMPD said members of a specialised unit spotted a suspicious white truck which had been driving along Albertina Sisulu and Watt Street.
JMPD spokesperson Senior Superintendent Wayne Minaar said the officers stopped the vehicle before it entered a scrapyard.
“The truck was searched and it contained crashed cans and underneath the cans it was a green sail which covered copper worth R68 000,” said Minaar.
He said the driver was found with R53 000 in cash, which had been allegedly sourced from sales of suspected stolen copper.
“It was later established (that) the suspects was linked to a syndicated ring of copper theft around the area of Polokwane. Members of National Intelligence Unit detained and released the suspect for prosecution,” he said.
Police alleged that the suspects had hidden the suspected stolen copper under cans, which were being made to supposedly look as if they were set to be recycled. Picture: Supplied
Some of the money taken from the suspects. Police believe that the more than R50 000 found on the suspects had been accrued from allegedly selling suspected stolen copper cables. They made the arrest just before the truck entered a Joburg based scrapyard on Monday. Picture: Supplied
Some of the money taken from the suspects. Police believe that the more than R50 000 found on the suspects had been accrued from allegedly selling suspected stolen copper cables. They made the arrest just before the truck entered a Joburg based scrapyard on Monday. Picture: Supplied
Saturday Star