Three cable skelms spent the weekend behind bars after being caught with R50 000 worth of Prasa cables stolen near Nyanga Junction on Friday morning.
Manenberg Police Station commander, Brigadier Enolium Joseph, says shortly after 1am security guards spotted a group of men cutting overhead cables.
“When they spotted the security personnel, they fled but the guards managed to apprehend one suspect and he was handed over to police,” he says.
“Sergeant Daryl Van Noie was contacted to do the initial investigation and with thorough interrogation and questioning, information was extracted which led them to an address in Storms River Road.”
Joseph says while searching the house they found a 20-year-old man hiding under the bed and noticed his feet were bleeding.
“It was established the injuries were from the sharp stones on the railway track.
“While searching the house officers found 19 metal springs hidden in the house.
“These springs are vital in keeping the railway tracks in place.
“Without these springs trains will derail causing serious injuries to passengers and even result in death.”
Three men, aged 20, 38, and 54, were charged with theft and damage to infrastructure and are to appear in Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Monday.