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The Herald, March 8,1980

A MAN who tried to steal cables from a pylon in the Salisbury suburb of Hatfield last September fell from the pylon after being shocked, was shot in the leg and savaged by a dog. And this week, he was jailed by a Salisbury magistrate.

He was one of three men who appeared before Mr I. Waldeck in the Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with theft of copper cables.

Kenneth Mashekede and Peter Timoty were sentenced to nine months with labour, of which four were suspended for five years, and Jerasi Jelous Choto received six months with labour and another three months with labour came into effect from two previous convictions.

The three men, who pleaded not guilty, were cutting cables at the top of a pylon in McIntosh Road, Hatfield, at 2am on September 27 last year when they were disturbed by a passing Police vehicle.

Mashekede received an electric shock and fell into a garden. A servant at the house was woken up by what he thought was a gunshot. He saw Mashekede run towards his employer’s house.

The employer came out of the house and shot Mashekede in the leg with a pistol. Waiting for the police and being guarded by the servant, Mashekede was bitten by the employer’s dog, which had slipped through an open gate.

His accomplices were arrested after police questioning in which he admitted stealing $248 worth of copper cables. Mr H. Simpson appeared for the Crown.

 LESSONS FOR TODAY 

 When it rains it really pours. The thief in the story suffered a triple catastrophe of getting a jolt, being shot and being bitten by a dog all on the same night.

Stealing of copper cables has become a serious issue worldwide including Zimbabwe, where people have incurred losses due to unavailability of electricity due to vandalism. 

 Tackling the challenge requires a holistic approach from all stakeholders especially members of the community since the police or employees of the service providers may not be readily available when such vandalism occurs. 

 Zimbabwe has done well by tightening penalties for people who steal cables, with copper cable thieves now facing a jail term of not less than 10 years.