Suspected stolen mountain bikes, essential infrastructure seized from Cape Town 'scrap metal dealer'

A cable theft tip-off in the dead of night led authorities to a house packed with allegedly stolen items of essential infrastructure and an assortment of expensive mountain bikes in Cape Town.

Members of the city's metal theft unit were alerted to a cable theft incident at 2.30am on Sunday in Ravensmead. A suspect was spotted running from the scene to a property.

“Upon entering the yard, the members identified themselves to a person who claimed to the owner of the property. They explained the reason for being there and obtained permission to look for the suspect,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith.

“While searching for the suspect, the members noticed bags which resembled items of scrap metal. They inquired from the owner if he deals in scrap metal, which he confided he did.”

Further probing revealed the man was an unregistered scrap metal dealer.

“Further investigation uncovered a range of expensive bicycles, of which the serial numbers were all removed.

“With the support of LEAP officers, two suspects were arrested under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act and in terms of the Second Hand Goods Act for possession of suspected stolen property. Both suspects are detained at SAPS Ravensmead.”

Several items were seized as evidence, including:

• 48kg of mixed copper;
• 123kg of brass copper;
• 13kg of aluminium;
• two metres of Prasa signal cable;
• a 13kg bag of Prasa cable;
• copper and aluminium cable; and
• water meters.

The suspected stolen mountain bicycles included two Silverback bikes, one Raleigh bike, one Scott bike, a Claud Butler bike and a Titan bike.

“If anyone can identify any of the above mountain bikes as theirs and when such was stolen, they can contact the investigating officer at Ravensmead SAPS,” added Smith.

TimesLIVE