Edited: SAPS Officers in Thornhill village in the EC arrested three alleged copper thieves after a high-speed chase on 5 November.
The suspects allegedly discarded shiny objects from a vehicle, later confirmed to be copper worth R130k, and removed from a transformer in the area. Vigilant patrol officers from the Thornhill Visible Policing unit spotted a suspicious Toyota Avanza driving into the area and later the same vehicle was spotted from Mondplaas near the R102 steel bridge.
The SAPS officers followed the vehicle, which then sped off into Ferry Road and the cops chased after them. Before the Avanza stopped, suspects were then seen throwing the shiny objects out of the vehicle’s windows.
Also discarded by the suspects were various housebreaking implements. The suspects, aged 16,26, and 37 were recovered and stolen infrastructure copper valued at R130,000 following the brief vehicle pursuit.
The suspects were arrested at the scene. One of them, a 16 year-old boy was released into the custody of his parents, while the 26 and 37 year-old suspects remain in custody. They face charges including possession of stolen property and possession of housebreaking implements, and are expected to appear in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court .
The District Sarah Baartman District Commissioner, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso, commended the tactical alertness and swift response of the members on the ground: “Essential infrastructure damage and theft severely impact our communities, and we will not tolerate criminals who dismantle public utilities for personal gain.
“I highly commend our Thornhill patrol members for their tactical alertness and swift reaction. Spotting the suspect vehicle twice and refusing to let it slip away shows true dedication to proactive policing.
“This successful arrest sends a clear message that our teams are out in full force to protect our communities and state infrastructure. We will ensure these suspects face the full might of the law, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso added
