Chronicle Editor
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
POLICE in Masvingo have arrested three juveniles including a 11-year-old for stealing copper cables worth $45 000 in Rutenga.
They committed the crime with the assistance of a 25-year-old man who is still on the run. Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the arrest said the police recovered three bundles and 15 metres copper cables.
“On 6 August at around 3am residents from Chitoro Village, Hume area heard some noise close to the railway line and rushed to the scene and saw a male juvenile (14) with a scotch cart and three donkeys. They saw Isiah Dick (25) of Muzvagwa Village, Chief Neshuro, with two juveniles aged 16 and the other one aged 11 digging up copper cables next to the railway line. When the villagers confronted Dick, he chased them away and the villagers managed to remove three donkeys from the cart. On 7 August around 7am Dick went and collected his donkeys from the villagers and went to his home,” he said.
Insp Dhewa said Fanuel Mutakwa (47) an employee of the National Railways of Zimbabwe reported the matter to the police who conducted an investigation and found three juveniles in possession of the three bundles of the copper cables.
“The three juveniles led the team to a nearby bush where they had hidden 15 metres of the copper cables. The juveniles confirmed to the police that they had hidden the cables in the bushes the previous day. The police took the juveniles together with their guardians to the police station. The value of the cables that had been stolen is $45 000 and $15 000 worth of copper cables have been recovered.”
Cases of copper cable thefts have been on the increase in the country, a situation that has led to serious power outages in most areas.
Online Reporter