Community members said they would take the law into their own hands after they found suspected stolen cables at a scrap yard at Bobo se Plaas in Lerato Park earlier this week.
COMMUNITY members said they would take the law into their own hands after they found suspected stolen cables at a scrap yard at Bobo se Plaas in Lerato Park earlier this week.
Residents also took it upon themselves to search the homes of suspected drug dealers as they believe that the police, as well as the local councillor, were not taking decisive action to curb crime and drug abuse.
“We pleaded with the councillor to help us but our pleas fell on deaf ears. The police also do not come to our assistance – that means we have no choice but to take the law into our own hands. Some community members are still in custody for meting out mob justice against criminals.
“The police are quick to put us in jail but are soft on criminals. Not one person has been arrested for cable theft because they say there are no witnesses. The Roodepan police station closes at midnight and only opens the following morning.”
Residents demanded that the scrap yard be closed.
“It is being used as a vehicle for the sale of stolen municipal property. Lerato Park is regularly plunged into darkness as a result of cable theft.
“Even though the owner of the scrap yard denied that he had bought the suspected stolen cables, he was unable to explain where he got it from.”
The contractor who is in the process of supplying power to 411 houses in Bobo se Plaas identified the stolen cables as their property.
“The project was supposed to be completed at the end of March but we are unable to make any progress because our cables get stolen every night. We reported a number of cases with the police as 20 cables and 20 prepaid metres were stolen. Some of the cases were closed and no person has been arrested so far.”
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said the SAPS Crime Intelligence unit reacted to information received from the community and raided the premises of a scrap metal dealer in Lerato Park on February 22.
“The police confiscated 122 kilograms of copper and arrested the 48-year-old male owner and his 42-year-old wife for illegal possession of the copper. They are expected to appear in court soon. The estimated value of the copper is R40 000,” said Kock.
He added that the Roodepan SAPS Crime Prevention unit also closed down the scrap metal dealer.
“The police are continuously conducting compliance inspections at scrap metal dealers as well as executing disruptive actions in an effort to address crime in relation to damage to essential infrastructure,” said Kock.
Ward councillor Robert Kok said that he went with community crime-fighters Operation Fiela to the scrap yard and the owner was arrested.
“He was found in possession of illegal copper cables. I advised the community that I am responsible for service delivery and not fighting crime which should be dealt with by the police.”
He added that Roodepan police station did not have sufficient resources.
“I spoke to the colonel and a request will be sent to the provincial and national SAPS for additional vehicles.”
Thabiso Louw from Operation Fiela indicated that they found four bags of copper cables that were believed to be stolen in Lerato Park, after searching the property.
“They were hidden in bags at the scrap yard. The owner admitted that he has been operating in the area for two years although he is not registered. We are searching for the sellers. The community is fed up and are struggling with no electricity. We also found angle grinders, car batteries, tools and an SANDF uniform.”
He stated that the suspected stolen goods as well as the scrap yard owner was handed over to the police.
“The owner’s vehicle was also confiscated.”
