Six lazy skelms from Wesbank are behind bars after they were caught burning copper wires that they stole from another group of skelms on Friday.
Law Enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason, says the men aged between 23 and 34 were caught after residents piemped them for burning the plastic covers in Montclava Crescent shortly after 7pm.
“The City's Law Enforcement Metal Theft Unit received information from a member of the public of male suspects stripping copper cable of its plastic insulating sheathing at Montclava crescent, Wesbank. The officers went to the premises and found five suspects busy at a fire burning the plastic off the cable.”
Cops found the skelms burning burning the plastic off the cables. Picture supplied
Dyason says during a search of a wendy house officers found more cables, an axe, a hacksaw and a spade.
“One suspect took the officers to Marthinis Van Schalkwyk Street where more cable was discovered and the sixth suspect nabbed.”
Dyason says the group were taken to Mfuleni Police Station and during questioning it was revealed that they were lazy and did not steal the cables themselves.
The group told officers they stole the cables from another group of cable thieves. Picture supplied
“All the plastic was removed so it was unclear what the origin was. When officers questioned them they revealed that they had robbed another group of the copper. They did not give any more details other than the other group did all the work.”
He says the men were charged for possession of stolen property and the copper handed in as evidence.
“This success would not have been possible without the vigilance and willingness to provide valuable information to the officers from a concerned member of the public.”