Four caught with copper worth R100000

FOUR men have been arrested in Motherwell in connection with the theft of cables containing copper valued at about R100000.

Motherwell police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Thembi Gwe said police, who were searching for a suspect linked to a robbery at a Somali-owned store in Motherwell during July 2010, were at a home in Thahala Street in Motherwell yesterday morning when they came across the four suspects.

"The four were extracting the copper when the police officers arrived. One of the four was the man the police were looking for," Gwe said.

She said the four were arrested and are expected to appear in the Motherwell Magistrate's Court on Monday where they will face charges related to the theft of copper wire.

Gwe said police had established the cable had been stolen from an electrical installation near the corner of Marmara and Palo Streets in Motherwell on Wednesday. - Shaun Gillham