Cable thieves exchange gunfire with City Power security officers
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on IOL
City Power security officers exchanged gunfire with two suspects who came to steal electrical cables from the company’s premises in Reuven, south of Johannesburg. The suspects fled without the stolen cables and an investigation was opened to identify and arrest them, according to City Power.
Security officers from City Power, the electricity distributor for Johannesburg, exchanged gunfire with two suspected cable thieves at around 6am on Tuesday at the Solomon Bengu Stores premises in Reuven, south of Johannesburg. The suspects had entered the site after breaking through a concrete perimeter wall and had started stealing electrical cables, according to City Power chief executive Issac Mangena, quoted by IOL.
City Power’s tactical team intervened after being alerted to the break-in. The suspects opened fire and the officers fired five shots before the two men fled, abandoning the stolen cables. No security officer was injured. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police and City Power security teams opened an investigation to identify and arrest the suspects, according to IOL.
The incident occurred two days after two people were sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of damaging critical electricity infrastructure in a case linked to an incident that occurred on 5 September in Turffontein. Another suspect arrested on Sunday in Reuven, on Heronmere Road, was found in possession of stolen copper cables, according to City Power.
City Power acting chief executive Charles Tlouane announced tighter security at vulnerable sites, with priority repairs to damaged perimeter walls and better protection for critical infrastructure. City Power had already faced power disruptions in Johannesburg on 10 November, notably after a second explosion plunged several neighbourhoods into darkness.
