Two cable skelms from Hanover Park received 10-year sentencing after being found guilty of damaging Prasa infrastructure at the Wynberg Regional Court last week.
Manenberg Police Station commander, Brigadier Enolium Joseph, says the two skelms were caught red-handed cutting cables near Nyanga Junction last year.
He says on 22 May 2018 at about noon, police were called out to the railway line by a Prasa security guard who caught Edward Dunster, 31, and Shaun Petersen, 35, cutting signalling cables.
“The two men had already removed several metres of cabling and officers confiscated their bags, knives and a spade used to dig trenches,” says Joseph.
The case was assigned to ace detective Sergeant Daryl van Noie who successfully opposed the duo’s bail application at the Athlone Magistrates’ Court and they were sent to Pollsmoor Prison where they were kept for the duration of their trial.
SIT: Edward Dunster, 31, tjoekie toe for copper cable theft. Photo: SUPPLIED
“The case was transferred to Wynberg Regional Court and on 23 January they were found guilty and given a 10-year sentence for damaging Prasa property,” says Joseph.
“The sentence was suspended for four years, which effectively means they will spend six years inside prison.
“This case is a major breakthrough for Manenberg Police Station and the detective should be applauded for his work.”
During 2018, Van Noie arrested an entire cable theft syndicate at Heideveld Train Station and secured a 15-year sentence for a 28s gang member who was also stealing cables.
Abraham Terblanche, 33, was sentenced in the Wynberg Regional Court in September for his role in the syndicate.
CONFISCATED: Stolen copper cables found on suspects. Photo: SUPPLIED
He received 15 years for theft and 15 for damaging Prasa property and his sentences are running concurrently.
Joseph says in the last two years, the Nyanga railway line had been badly affected by theft.
“The damage to railway infrastructure is a serious criminal offence and the stealing of cables not only disrupts rail operations but poses a safety risk to children and others.
“Since this arrest and one in Heideveld, theft of Prasa cables have been reduced.”