Cable thieves electrocuted in Johannesburg

[schumi]

The community of Moffat View‚ Johannesburg‚ was unaware on Wednesday that the reason for a power outage in the area was the electrocution of alleged cable thieves and not the weather.

Thinking that a heavy storm the evening before had caused the electricity to trip‚ community members failed to log the complaint with authorities until the next morning.

It was only once the local neighbourhood watch‚ SS Crime Alert‚ went in search of the fault that the true cause came to light.

The power outage was caused by a pair of alleged would-be cable thieves digging for copper in the early hours of the morning.

A man was found dead in the trench he had been digging and his colleague beside him was critically injured with severe burns.

SS Crime Alert said that the community had been affected by cable theft in the past.

More at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-01-25-cable-thieves-electrocuted-in-johannesburg/

 

[GoneWithTheWindows]

Great news.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

Ah bless, karma

 

[supersunbird]

Give that cable a bells.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Ag Shem...

 

[Craig_]

More at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-01-25-cable-thieves-electrocuted-in-johannesburg/

failed to log the complaint with authorities until the next morning

Pity they didn't wait another day or so.

 

[Ninja'd]

The power outage was caused by a pair of alleged would-be cable thieves digging for copper

I really don't want to give Eskom any credit but it suddenly just hit me over the head when I read this.

They had this tv and radio campaign over a decade ago calling cable thieves "izinyoka" (snakes). And there's a species of snake called copperhead. Clever of them.

 

[Sean008]

Good news

 

[Muttley]

 

[RyanPCMR]

Never heard of Moffat View.

 

[nightjar]

Ah bless, karma

Communities are very quick to punish an individual who steals a cellphone but seem indifferent to cable and related theft/vandalism that negatively affects the entire community.

Digging up a trench must be a lot more obvious than snatching a phone and I wonder why Prasa, Eskom etc do not aggressively advertise the harm done to communities by these criminals and encourage communities to be more vigilant and active.

We know that SAPS are unlikely to respond to township complaints on the same day but a bit of township justice handed out to a criminal damaging their transport or electricity supply might help matters.

 

[ForceFate]

Communities are very quick to punish an individual who steals a cellphone but seem indifferent to cable and related theft/vandalism that negatively affects the entire community.

Digging up a trench must be a lot more obvious than snatching a phone and I wonder why Prasa, Eskom etc do not aggressively advertise the harm done to communities by these criminals and encourage communities to be more vigilant and active.

We know that SAPS are unlikely to respond to township complaints on the same day but a bit of township justice handed out to a criminal damaging their transport or electricity supply might help matters.

That's because it's mostly done under cover of darkness.

 

[TheChamp]

That's because it's mostly done under cover of darkness.

And they also look like your usual Telkom/Eskom/ City power contractors, there's no way to tell who is who these days.

 

[SykomantiS]

"Alleged"
I really hate that word...

Pity it's not two for two.

 

[Ho3n3r]

So much sympathy.

 

[satanboy]

 

[TysonRoux]

A bystander who asked not to be named described the gruesome scene: "This guy just sat in agony on the pavement – his whole body burnt – even on his head. His white skin was all black and pulled together in clumps‚ leaving pink flesh behind.

Racist article.

 

[Drake2007]

Never heard of Moffat View.

North of Linmeyer, Southern Suburbs. The Silver Ball ( reservoir tower) is at the top.

 

[Dan C]

community members failed to log the complaint with authorities until the next morning.

shocking

 

[Gnome]

Give that cable a bells.

:crylaugh: