Durban — A water pipe and water meter thief is alleged to have confessed to selling the items at the market in Durban for R80.
The suspect is expected to appear in court again at the end of April after his arrest.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that Mayville police have arrested a 28-year-old man for theft of pipes and a water meter which took place on April 14, 2023, at Glen Grove, Westridge.
“He appeared before the Durban Magistrate’s Court on April 17, and the case was remanded to April 24, 2023,” Netshiunda said.
Private security company Homeland Security SA said that at 10am on the day of the incident, two suspects stole a water meter.
The theft was caught by a resident’s roadside camera.
Homeland Security SA said that at 1pm while their members walked two other suspects to Mayville SAPS they noticed the one guy who fitted the description of the water meter thief. He was stopped and also taken to Mayville SAPS.
“He admitted to stealing the meter and selling it at the market in town for R80. The other suspects sleep under the bridge by the market,” Homeland Security SA said.
The company said well done to the team.
“Small victories,” Homeland Security SA said.
Meanwhile, last month, sister publication The Mercury recently reported that councillors and residents in eThekwini say the municipality is not replacing water meters that have been stolen for resale as scrap metal which has led to houses being fed through “bridged connections”, escalating water losses and sky-high bills as a result of usage being estimated.
They said they had been informed by City officials in the unit that the municipality had no spare meters at its stores.
Former municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the City was besieged by theft of meters but it always replaced them.
“However, we are experiencing quite a number of incidents whereby these meters are stolen and it appears to be a moving target, but we do respond. It is incorrect and misleading to say the City has run out of these meters,” said Mayisela.
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