City copper cables stolen

OVER the past few weeks, there have been increasing incidents of theft and vandalism at municipal property, with copper cables apparently a preferred target.

The Windhoek Municipality says thieves last Friday stole some electrical cables after digging a trench along a power line in Otjomuise. In another incident, 500 metres of cable was stolen, valued at about N$300 000, said Liz Sibindi, public relations officer of the municipality.At the end of last month, an electric transformer at a municipal borehole outside the Kupferberg power centre was stripped.”This transformer cost about N$45 000,” Sibindi stated in a media release.The City’s new miniature substation at Khomasdal extension 16 was also targeted by copper thieves.They managed to remove some cables and “bus bars” – copper bars inside the substation.Near the Daan Viljoen Park, another transformer was stolen.The costs to the City of Windhoek’s ratepayers are running into thousands of dollars.”Although these incidents have been reported and are under investigation by the City Police, the rate at which these criminal activities are taking place is of serious concern to the City,” Sibindi said.”In order to prevent these undesirable criminal activities, the City of Windhoek requests the residents and every member of the public to be on the look-out and report any suspicious movement of people around municipal infrastructure, digging trenches without approval, or persons trying to sell stolen copper.”In another incident, 500 metres of cable was stolen, valued at about N$300 000, said Liz Sibindi, public relations officer of the municipality.At the end of last month, an electric transformer at a municipal borehole outside the Kupferberg power centre was stripped.”This transformer cost about N$45 000,” Sibindi stated in a media release.The City’s new miniature substation at Khomasdal extension 16 was also targeted by copper thieves.They managed to remove some cables and “bus bars” – copper bars inside the substation.Near the Daan Viljoen Park, another transformer was stolen.The costs to the City of Windhoek’s ratepayers are running into thousands of dollars.”Although these incidents have been reported and are under investigation by the City Police, the rate at which these criminal activities are taking place is of serious concern to the City,” Sibindi said.”In order to prevent these undesirable criminal activities, the City of Windhoek requests the residents and every member of the public to be on the look-out and report any suspicious movement of people around municipal infrastructure, digging trenches without approval, or persons trying to sell stolen copper.”