Four robbers were caught on camera in the act of vandalising Buffalo City Metro’s vital Dawn sub-station and switch-house last week.
Two of the slides taken by the secret security camera show the robbers laughing, one of them as he uses a 10-pound hammer to smash equipment.
If you recognise any one of the pair shown in the photograph, you can help BCM and the police apprehend them by calling 083-206-5999, BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said.
The pictures were downloaded this weekend after principal engineering assistant in charge of sub-stations, Paul McConnachie, went to the station on Thursday, ironically with an insurance assessor to look at damage caused by the previous and second burglaries.
McConnachie and Dan Sargent of CWB Adjusters discovered a hole chopped into the brick and machines broken and stripped. The replacement and repair bill amounts to R500000 Cindi said.
This was the third attack on the sub-station in Wilsonia which supplies power to a vast area of BCM.
Cindi says the latest acts of robbery and pillaging have placed electrical supply under threat but the city is working hard to ensure all goes smoothly again.
McConnachie said: “We discovered that the perpetrators had vandalised three 800amp SBV4 11kv breakers and one 1250-amp SBV4 11kv breaker.”
He had to work quickly to secure the switch-house. Cindi said: “This year BCM has lost over R6-million in non-ferrous (non-metal) related theft cases and malicious damage to property of our sub-stations.
“If you can identify the suspects, please contact the BCM Forensic Investigator on the number given earlier.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Vandals put Metro power supply at risk
Two of the slides taken by the secret security camera show the robbers laughing, one of them as he uses a 10-pound hammer to smash equipment.
If you recognise any one of the pair shown in the photograph, you can help BCM and the police apprehend them by calling 083-206-5999, BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said.
The pictures were downloaded this weekend after principal engineering assistant in charge of sub-stations, Paul McConnachie, went to the station on Thursday, ironically with an insurance assessor to look at damage caused by the previous and second burglaries.
McConnachie and Dan Sargent of CWB Adjusters discovered a hole chopped into the brick and machines broken and stripped. The replacement and repair bill amounts to R500000 Cindi said.
This was the third attack on the sub-station in Wilsonia which supplies power to a vast area of BCM.
Cindi says the latest acts of robbery and pillaging have placed electrical supply under threat but the city is working hard to ensure all goes smoothly again.
McConnachie said: “We discovered that the perpetrators had vandalised three 800amp SBV4 11kv breakers and one 1250-amp SBV4 11kv breaker.”
He had to work quickly to secure the switch-house. Cindi said: “This year BCM has lost over R6-million in non-ferrous (non-metal) related theft cases and malicious damage to property of our sub-stations.
“If you can identify the suspects, please contact the BCM Forensic Investigator on the number given earlier.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za
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