Newcastle court jails cable thief for 15 years
A man from Newcastle has started serving a 15-year jail sentence for stealing catenary cables.
Lindokuhle Sibiya was sentenced and sent to direct imprisonment after the Newcastle Regional Court heard how he was nabbed by the KZN Hawks two years ago.
It's understood the officials had received information about a vehicle involved in the theft of Transnet cables in the Kingsley area.
The 36-year-old was found in the vehicle with cables worth approximately R105 000.
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Police also found a bold cutter, generator and grinder used in the commission of the crime.
KZN Hawks spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo says the Transnet Technical unit positively identified the cables.
"He was with his accomplices who fled the scene when the police arrived, but they were later arrested, and the witnesses did not testify against them. As a result, they were acquitted."
