A suspect was shot dead, and another was arrested after they were allegedly caught trying to escape with stolen goods. The incident occurred on Vermont Street in Eldorado Park on Friday, as reported by City Power’s Isaac Mangena.
Private security personnel from the entity were called to respond to a suspected case of cable theft that was in progress.
Upon arriving at the scene, the security officers were met with resistance. One of the suspects brandished a pistol and fired shots at the officers.
In self-defence, the armed officers returned fire, resulting in the fatal injury of the suspect. A murder inquest has been initiated at the Eldorado Park police station.
Simultaneously, another suspect present at the scene was unharmed and promptly apprehended. This individual was found in possession of copper cable and 500 LED street light covers, which are believed to have been stolen from a nearby school.
The 22-year-old man has been charged with theft and possession of stolen items. This incident adds to the growing number of cable theft and vandalism cases across the city.
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City Power has reported over 200 instances of cable theft and vandalism in the past month alone. Furthermore, during this weekend, there were 14 similar incidents across all service delivery centres, with five cases of vandalised street lights.
The continuous rise in cable theft and vandalism is a cause for concern as it severely impacts City Power’s ability to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to customers. The organisation is actively working to address these issues and ensure the safety and reliability of the city’s infrastructure.
