Three cable thieves sentenced to 244 years’ imprisonment

Wednesday, 25 August 2021: On 30 July 2021, the Kroonstad Regional Court sentenced three thieves on eight counts of copper cable theft related charges. The group was sentenced to a cumulative 244 years’ imprisonment for crimes committed from March until June 2017. Of the three accused, two will effectively carry out 16 years’ imprisonment and the third accused will carry out 12 years’. 

The accused were involved in eight incidents where copper cable to the value of R115 500 was stolen from Eskom.  They were arrested on 04 June 2017 by Combined Private Investigations, a private security company contracted by Eskom, for several thefts of Eskom overhead copper conductors in the Kroonstad, Koppies, and Allanridge areas.  At the time of the arrest, the accused were found in possession of copper cable belonging to Eskom.   

Prior to their arrest, the accused were suspects in other case dockets with similar offences, namely theft of overhead copper conductor, which had been closed as undetected at the police stations.  Upon analysis of the accused cell phone records, it was discovered that they are linked to various incidents of copper theft which had occurred in the Kroonstad, Allanridge, Geneva and Heuningspruit areas.  The accused operated as a syndicate and are further linked to various crime scenes by cell phone records of the cell phones found in their possession at the time of arrest. 

Eskom urges the public to report information regarding conductor theft to the Eskom Crime Line number: 0800 11 27 22.

 ENDS