Four arrested in separate incidents in Cape Town for cable theft

Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, PRASA, in the Western Cape, says it has arrested four suspects in separate incidents for cable theft.

In a statement, PRASA said that a 28-year-old suspect was found pulling and cutting underground electrical cables on Wednesday morning.

‘’PRASA security on foot patrol on the railway line from Bellville to Tygerberg (Hospital side) found a suspect pulling and cutting underground electrical cables. The area in question is part of Area North which was opened on the 16th of March after almost two years of closure due to Covid-19 protocols,’’ said Acting spokesperson for Metrorail, Nana Zenani.

SUPPLIED: Metrorail

‘’The suspect, a 28-year-old male was arrested, handed over to SAPS and was charged under the Criminals Matters Act no 18 (2015) Section 3(1)A and handed over to SAPS. The suspect was found with a 2metre core cable and a hacksaw blade,’’ added Zenani.

On the same morning, PRASA security arrested two suspects, aged 40 and 41, after they were found on the railway line close to the Transnet train yard.  The suspects tried to hide the stolen cables in nearby bushes. Zenani says the pair were found with core cables, and 7 hacksaw

SUPPLIED: Metrorail

‘’The two arrests this week were preceded by the arrest of a cable thief in the act of stealing PRASA cables. The arrest was made on Thursday the 26th again in Area North at approximately 10:30pm. Security members were patrolling between Parow and Elsies River Stations when they noticed a suspect digging cables at the Elsie River bridge’’

SUPPLIED: Metrorail

Furthermore, officials arrested a suspect after the perpetrator was found in the act by PRASA officials stealing cables.

‘’The Security team managed to apprehend one suspect. Approximately 6 meters of underground signal cables and a shovel were recovered on the suspect as evidence of the crime. The suspect was taken to SAPS in Parrow where he was charged under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 15 of 2015 section 3 (a) (b),’’ said Metrorail’s Acting Spokesperson, Nana Zenani.

SUPPLIED: Metrorail

‘’The Area North line operates trains between Bellville and Cape Town via Mutual and services commuters mostly travelling to various areas of work. PRASA CRES, the facilities management arm of PRASA invested extensively in the upgrades of five stations upgrades, namely; Eikenfontein Station, Elsies Rivier Station, Thornton Station, Tygerberg Station and Vasco Station. The restoration of the stations and the upgrading of the rail lines are part of PRASA’s overall Service Resumption plan to bring back passenger rail services,’’ she added.

Metrorail Western Cape says it has invested R186 million in an effort to replace overhead cables that power substations, ensure train movement and ensure safe train operations. This investment is in the face of a major security ramp-up focusing on curbing cable theft.

 

Done By: Mitchum George