A swift response by Petrus Steyn police to a community tip-off led to the arrest of three suspects, including a foreign national and two South Africans, during a waylay operation on Tuesday morning. The operation thwarted a planned cable theft from a local farm.
The police acted on intelligence regarding the intended crime and set up an interception operation on Tuesday, 23 September 2025, at approximately 11:00. The operation resulted in the immediate arrest of two suspects at the scene. A third individual was later traced and apprehended in the Mamafubedu location near Petrus Steyn.
Upon searching the area, police discovered a substantial quantity of stolen cable, cleverly concealed under piles of cut wood branches. The recovered cable weighed approximately 200 kilograms, with an estimated value of R200,000.00. Authorities also confiscated a white Nissan bakkie and a chainsaw believed to have been used in the commission of the crime.
The three suspects, aged 36, 39, and 56, are scheduled to make their first appearance before the Petrus Steyn Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 26 September 2025. They will face formal charges of damage to essential infrastructure.
In light of the incident, police are urging farmers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious vehicles seen moving aimlessly on their properties. The police service has committed to maintaining increased patrols in the area to combat and curb cable theft.
