Thieves, believed to be mainly nyaopes, continue to prowl the streets of Laudium and Erasmia looking for anything they can get their hands on, to make a few Rand.
In a recent incident of theft, a pair of thieves were driving around Erasmia this past Monday (October 4) during the morning, seemingly looking for an opportunity to steal anything valuable; and finally set their eyes on the huge batteries at the Cell C Tower, situated at the Erasmia Junction business complex, on Willem Erasmus Street, in Erasmia. Theus Hanekom, a security guard employed at COPS Tactical, a local security company, told the Laudium Sun, “I was walking from Barbara Coetzee Street, toward Swanepoel Street at around 8:30 in the morning when I spotted two suspicious looking guys at the Cell C Tower on Willem Erasmus Street in Erasmia, wearing helmets. I was very puzzled as I know the tower is fenced and the gate is always locked. So I decided to do a spot check and when I got to the tower, I was surprised to find that the gate was wide open and the two guys started running away. I tried running after them and saw them getting into a car, a Toyota Etios. The car then turned into Hoof Street. I then spotted a policeman who parked his car and was about to go to the shops. It seems that the policeman also noticed the guys as he was then hurriedly walking away from the shop, when I told him about the two suspicious guys. I was astonished as to how the thieves managed to get into the tower area. I decided to go back to the tower to check what had happened. I found the lock of the gate broken and lying on the ground. They also broke the lock where the back-up batteries stay. It seems that I disturbed them.”
Acting Station Commander of the Erasmia police, Captain Simon Maredi, told the Laudium Sun, “A member from our station went to the shops in Erasmia on Monday morning, October 4, at around 8:30 to buy some food. He parked his vehicle near the shops. As he was about to enter the shop, he noticed two suspicious guys leaving the Cell C tower, and running towards an unmarked vehicle nearby. The police member immediately became suspicious. To add to his suspicions, the pair were wearing helmets. The member wanted to enquire if the pair were in fact from Cell C or a sub-contractor, or perhaps even thieves, which was his suspicion. As he was walking towards the tower, the pair drove away and the police member got into his car and gave chase. The pair of suspects trapped themselves, by driving into a road that was a dead end, on Hoof Street, Erasmia. The suspects then abandoned their car and ran away on foot towards Main Road and into the nearby bush. The member immediately called for back-up from the station and even a helicopter, to join in the search. Our team effort in searching for the suspects was unfortunately not successful. We immediately impounded the car driven by the suspects and are busy with investigations. Fingerprints were also taken from the car. We would like to issue a stern warning that Erasmia is not a playground for criminals. Erasmia is secured by the police and criminals do not have a chance here.”
