Two skelms, who were caught red-handed stealing Prasa cables worth R26K, have been convicted and sent to Pollsmoor Prison for five years.
Reginald Williams and Shano Alberts from Manenberg were found guilty in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court last week after entering into a plea deal.
Acting station commander, Colonel Sanele Zama, says the skelms met their match on 14 May when they were caught by the country’s top cable theft investigator.
PLEA DEAL: Prasa cable thief Reginald Williams
“During the early hours of 14 May, Detective Sergeant Daryl van Noie was conducting tracing operations for wanted suspects in the precinct when he got a tip-off about a theft in progress.
“He called the Prasa security company and after getting back up, he went to the train line behind the old Jooste Hospital site.”
Zama says they found Williams and Alberts busy stealing overhead cables using a bolt cutter.
“They thought they were clever by stealing the overheard cables because it is lighter than the copper and they’d get more money for it,” Zama says.
“They stole just over 60 metres.”
Van Noie arrested the duo and put them in the security bakkie but when one of the guards opened the door, Reginald pushed him and ran away.
LANK MANG: Dief Shano Alberts
“He was on the run for a month, but Daryl traced him in June and found him sleeping in an abandoned car in Manenberg.”
Their trial was set for 13 August.
“When they arrived and realised they face 15 years direct imprisonment they settled for a plea deal,” says Zama.
“They were given a 10-year sentence of which five years are suspended. This is great work done by the detective.”