Two nabbed for infrastructure theft

Friday, October 9, 2020

Two men are expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court today, on charges of possession of infrastructure material.

The duo is aged 45 and 28 and have been charged with the contravention of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015 and Second Hand Goods Act 6 of 2009.

“A multi-disciplinary approach driven operation by Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Provincial Crime Intelligence, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Department supported by Transnet, resulted in a swift arrest of Plant and Operations Managers of a steel and manufacturing company in Alberton for possession of infrastructure material,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Friday.

The investigation team followed up on intelligence regarding suspicious non-ferrous metals scheduled to be transported and recycled at a steel and manufacturing company at Alrode in Alberton on Thursday.

“Upon arrival, a search and seizure warrant was executed and amongst other seized items which Transnet positively identified as theirs, were big trail jumpers, contact wires, overhead cables, railway tracks and springs with an estimated value of R25 million.

“The two men were arrested immediately, and the investigation is set to continue,” the SAPS said. –SAnews.gov.za