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Lingani Nyika, Chronicle Reporter
POLICE in Hwange have expressed concern about the increasing cases of theft of copper cables some of which supply critical installations such as the Zimbabwe Power Company Hwange station’s sites or National Railways of Zimbabwe signal stations.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda appealed to members of the public who might have information about copper thieves syndicates to contact any nearest police station.

“Our appeal goes to members of the public to give us information about any criminal activities they see or suspect in their communities especially vandalism of infrastructure like electric lines. They can use police suggestion boxes or our various social media platform or alert their nearest police station. We appeal to people to co-operate with police so that we intensify community policing and fight crime together,” he said.

He said recently police received a tip-off that there were some people who were carrying copper cables in a vehicle and laid an ambush near Kamativi along the Cross Dete-Binga road.

“Police received a tip-off on 18 February that there were people intending to transport copper wires from Kamativi. Reacting to the information, police laid an ambush at Kamativi turn-off and the accused persons arrived driving a silver Toyota Wish,” he said.

Insp Banda said police stopped the driver and requested to search the vehicle and they recovered 15 rolls of copper wire.

The three occupants Sikhumbuzo Mahlangu (37) of Madumabisa, Lizwe Ndlovu (42) of Empumalanga and Sithabile Ncube (49) of Baghdad Empumalanga all in Hwange were arrested on the spot and are set to appear in court for unlawful possession of copper.

In another case, Insp Banda said an informant who was jogging in the morning last Friday saw some smoke coming from the bush and went to investigate.

The informant found three men who were burning copper cables which they had cut from a power line that feeds the ZPC conveyer belt.

Upon seeing the informant, the three suspects fled and the informant gave chase and apprehended Solomon Nqobile Sibanda (19) of Madumabisa while two others escaped.

Police attended the scene and discovered that Sibanda and his alleged accomplices had cut cables weighing 83kg valued at US$415. — @NyikaLingani