Several suspects were arrested after a meeting on Tuesday, 22 August, between management of Centlec and community organizations regarding theft and damage to infrastructure in Bloemfontein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lele Mamatu, spokesperson for Centlec, says in a news release that two persons were arrested for theft and vandalism of Centlec infrastructure on Saturday (26\/08).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first arrest was in the early hours of Saturday when the Heidedal Community Policing Forum arrested a suspected cable thieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They allerted the Centlec Security Service and the South African Police Service who came to the scene and arrested the suspect in possesion of stolen copper cables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mamatu said the damage led to a prolonged power outage in Bloemspruit with damage to the value of R100 000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The suspect was charged with vandalism of valuable infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In another incident, the Centlec Security Team foiled an attemted cable theft on the Cecelia line in Kwaggafontein near the Bloemfontein Zoo ground in the early hours of Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The police arrested a suspect that was charged with theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mamatu said tampering with infrastructure, electricity theft and vandalism of valuable infrastructure is a serious crime in South Africa which carries harsh sentences upon being found guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Big parts of the north of Bloemfontein was without power on 23 August after a mini substation was stripped clean in Douglas Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christo Joubert from the Vaalbank-Zuid Neighbourhood Watch says thieves are targeting the Centlec transformers to get copper because they already stripped the Spoornet infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He says the first transformer in the northern rudal area was stripped on 14 July in Olive Hill and the second one the same day in Vaalbank-Zuid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The third was on 14 August where a transformer was removed from a power post in Vaalbank-Zuid. On 24 August the second transformer was stolen on the same farmer\u2019s property. Two suspects were followed in this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Vaalbank-Zuid Neighbourhood Watch working together with VR Security and members of the SAPS Flying Squad managed to arrest one suspect with an electrical cabel and a stick which is used to brake fuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A case was opened at the Navalsig SAPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe would like to thank the public, including the community forums such as the Heidedal Neighbourhood Watch and the CPF for the work well done and giving us tip-offs whenever these incidents happen. Fighting crime is a collaborative effort between the community, police and Centlec,\u201d Mamatu said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Several suspects were arrested after a meeting on Tuesday, 22 August, between management of Centlec and community organizations regarding theft and damage to infrastructure in 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