Suspected copper cable thieves bust after mine heist in Postmasburg

TWO SUSPECTED cable thieves were caught “red-handed” after a daring early-morning copper heist at a local mine in Postmasburg, thanks to the swift reaction of police and mine security.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Omphile Masegela said tha the dramatic arrest unfolded this week, when members of the Postmasburg FLASH unit responded to an alert from Kolomela Mine about stolen copper cables. Backed by Thornburn Microchip Security, the police arrived on the scene just as two men attempted to flee on foot.

But their getaway was short-lived. Officers caught both suspects, aged 30, who were carrying a backpack loaded with copper cables and hacksaws. A follow-up investigation led police to a stash site, where they uncovered a haul of burnt copper, copper coils, and mine communication radios worth an estimated R170,000. Tools believed to have been used in the theft were also seized.

The stolen items were linked to the Kolomela Mine, and the case is part of a broader crackdown on infrastructure-related crimes in the ZF Mgcawu District.

Sergeant Masegela said that the police have vowed to continue targeting those responsible for economic sabotage through cable theft and infrastructure vandalism, warning that these crimes come with serious consequences.