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Crime Reporter

TWO security guards have been arrested on allegations of stealing 43kg of copper bundles from Sino Hydro Expansion stores at Hwange Thermal on Monday.

The security guards were caught after they had an argument on how to dispose of the loot.

Kanzota Mwale (38) and Elliot Mubhimi (46) had hidden their loot outside the premises before they had the argument. They are still assisting police with investigations.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the two stole the copper from a stockpile covered with a tarpaulin and hid the loot outside the premises.

“A misunderstanding between the suspects on the disposal of the loot unearthed the offence leading to their arrest,” he said.

In June, Government said it had moved in to clamp vandalism and theft of copper cables.

The move was meant to curb the rampant theft of copper cables which costs Zesa, National Railways of Zimbabwe and TelOne billions of dollars annually.

Giving oral evidence before Parliamentary portfolio committee on Defence and Security on the Copper Control Amendment Bill and the Police Bill, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Mr Aaron Nhepera, said illegal copper dealers’ days are numbered as Government moves in to impose stiffer penalties for those found trading stolen                             copper.

Government last year suspended the issuance of licences for scrap copper dealings pending the amendment of the Copper Act.

Mr Nhepera said regulations for obtaining copper licences were being changed to shut out briefcase companies that were the main culprits in dealing with stolen copper.

Recently, three suspected copper cable thieves were arrested after they were intercepted by police at a farm in Beitbridge where they had cut down a Zesa Holdings power line before vandalising a transformer and stealing the copper coils.

The three were Thanyani Muleya (22), Professor Muleya (18) and Sitholitemba Moyo (27) who were arrested for theft of copper cables at Benifer Farm in Beitbridge.

One of the suspects, Lindiwe Manyadziwe fled from the scene.

Another, two suspected copper cable thieves sustained serious injuries after a Nissan Caravan they were using to transport about 458kg of copper cables and equipment worth over US$29 000 believed to have been stolen was involved in an accident along Stansted Road near Mabelreign Police Station in Harare.

The two were, the driver Valentine Peki (29) of Glen Norah and Christine Muvirimi (29) of Budiriro 5, Harare.