Johannesburg - Four men have been arrested after being found in possession of stolen overhead conductor cable in Howick, Kwazulu-Natal, Eskom said on Sunday.
"A firearm was also seized from one of the men during the arrest," said the power utility in a statement issued by its media desk.
Three of the suspects were spotted as they were leaving an area where a high-voltage overhead power line had been cut.
"Our security officers were conducting routine surveillance when they noticed sparks in the night sky along Petrus Stroom Road in Dargle, near Howick in KZN," said Tebogo Rakau, Divisional Executive for Security at Eskom.
The security officers noticed the sparks as they were coming from the location of various power lines.
When they went to investigate, they found the three men loading rolls of cable into a white minibus.
"All suspects, including the driver of the minibus, were arrested on the scene," said Rakau.
Ten rolls of stolen copper conductor cable, hacksaws, side cutters, large pliers and a 9mm Norinco pistol were confiscated.
Rakau said that the theft had resulted in power disruptions between Howick and the Midmar Dam.
News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/4-armed-cable-thieves-arrested-in-kzn-20170423
"A firearm was also seized from one of the men during the arrest," said the power utility in a statement issued by its media desk.
Three of the suspects were spotted as they were leaving an area where a high-voltage overhead power line had been cut.
"Our security officers were conducting routine surveillance when they noticed sparks in the night sky along Petrus Stroom Road in Dargle, near Howick in KZN," said Tebogo Rakau, Divisional Executive for Security at Eskom.
The security officers noticed the sparks as they were coming from the location of various power lines.
When they went to investigate, they found the three men loading rolls of cable into a white minibus.
"All suspects, including the driver of the minibus, were arrested on the scene," said Rakau.
Ten rolls of stolen copper conductor cable, hacksaws, side cutters, large pliers and a 9mm Norinco pistol were confiscated.
Rakau said that the theft had resulted in power disruptions between Howick and the Midmar Dam.
News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/4-armed-cable-thieves-arrested-in-kzn-20170423