BLOEMFONTEIN – Law enforcement agents, including representatives of Centlec security services, have made a significant arrest in connection with rampant copper cable theft. They have apprehended a suspect believed to be a Centlec employee. The man was arrested this morning – Friday 17 April – while allegedly attempting to sell large quantities of stripped copper cables to a scrapyard dealer based in Bloemfontein.
Centlec confirmed the stolen copper cables were its property and were part of critical infrastructure. The suspect’s arrest followed a tip-off from reliable sources. According to the power supplier for the Mangaung Metro Municipality, the value of the stripped copper cables was estimated at R70 000.
The agents found large quantities of stripped copper cables stuck in plastic bags. These were confiscated as evidence, and an investigation was launched. The entity laments the negative impact on its ability to supply power. This includes large financial losses worth millions of rands due to copper syndicates targeting its infrastructure around the Mangaung region.
Also read: Suspected cable thief killed while attempting to steal high voltage cable
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