A group of men burning copper cable in the Free State were caught red-handed.
On Tuesday morning, at around 07:45, members of Lejweleputswa District Reaction were on a vehicle patrol at Mannys, Welkom, when they noticed black smoke from the railway line, said Free State police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng.
"The two members approached the spot, from where the smoke came. There were more than four males who ran away when noticing the police members," said Thakeng.
Thakeng said the members called for backup, but nobody was arrested.
Copper cable, weighing 290.5kg, with a street value of R31 955, was seized, said Thakeng.
"The copper cable was kept [in] a police storeroom," he said.
He added that the destruction of infrastructure in Matjhabeng, Free State, was a concern, but to "seize this large quantity of copper cable was a breakthrough".
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