An illegal scrap dealer from Kalksteenfontein was nabbed over the weekend after he was caught buying brass water meters from skelms.
Law Enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason, says the 49-year-old man was arrested after officers from the Metal Theft Unit did a search at a property in Salvia Street.
“At 7.47pm on Saturday, officers conducted a routine inspection where they found the 49-year-old man in possession of two smashed brass water meters and various pieces of metal belonging to Prasa.”
Dyason says the well known dealer was questioned about the old brass meters.
“He trades illegally and runs the business from his house. He buys scrap from people and then goes to a scrap metal place in Epping where he sells the metal,” says Dyason.
Scrap metal seized from the man’s house. Picture supplied
“The scrap value of the meters is about R100, but the replacement cost is about R5000.
“He was arrested and taken to Bishop Lavis Police Station, where he was charged with possession of stolen property but also for colluding with a person who had committed the act of theft, damaging or tampering with essential infrastructure.”
Dyason says while water meter theft has decreased because they are being replaced by plastic ones, the officers do come across cases where meters are smashed to confuse dealers and authorities.
A variety of scrap metal seized from the man's house. Picture supplied
“The City has replaced most of them with plastic meters, but the unit comes across cases where old meters are stolen along with drain covers. They chop it up or smash it to try to conceal that it’s a meter, but the dealers know what they are buying.”