Acting on a tip-off from the community, the City’s Non-ferrous Metal Theft Task Team, known as the Copperheads, swooped on the Electricity Department’s depot on the corner of Lansdowne Road and NY78.

“Following extensive investigations, the team found evidence implicating two permanent city employees, two contract staff, and a private security guard in the illegal removal of cable meant for service installations at the Brown’s Farm informal settlement,” said councillor Pieter van Dalen, chairperson of the Copperheads.

Swift action by the investigators resulted in the recovery of copper cable and non-ferrous metal shavings from a scrap dealer.