Scrap dealer caught with Telkom cable worth R50k

Pretoria scrapyard dealer has been arrested with stolen Telkom cables worth R50 000.

Johannesburg - A Pretoria scrapyard dealer has been arrested after being caught red-handed with stolen Telkom cables worth R50 000, police said on Monday.

Tshwane metro police spokesperson, senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba, said the 33-year-old man was found with stolen cables in a scrapyard when police officers were conducting their by-law operations in Pretoria west on Saturday.

Mahamba said the cables were believed to have been stolen from Telkom as they had Telkom signage on them. He said estimated damage to Telkom was R50 000.

“Upon further questioning, he admitted that it was brought to them by another person and they paid him. The estimated street value of the cables is between R20 000 to R30 000,” Mahamba said.

Mahamba said the man was also charged for contravening Section 3(3) of the Second-Hand Goods Act.

In May, Telkom said cable theft cost it over R200 million in losses during the last financial year. The telecommunications company had spent R100 million on cable theft repair costs while it had paid a further R107 million for security services.

African News Agency