Twenty arrested for copper theft

By Kim Saulse
4 August 2009

Twenty residents from the Chris Nissen informal settlement on the outskirts of Somerset West, appeared in the local magistrate’s court today on charges of theft and being in possession of stolen goods.

“The City of Cape Town’s “Copperheads” reacted to a complaint received from the area. The previous night, copper was stolen from an area handed over to the city by the developer.

“We went into the area, with one member of the SAPS, and found casings of copper strewn across the road,” said City spokesperson, Rudof Wiltshire.

Upon further investigation, police were led to 20 people involved in the theft of the copper cabling. The suspects were arrested and appeared in the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court today.