Three men who secretly stole diesel by extracting it from underground pipeline and pumping it into a fuel tanker were caught red-handed at a site in Rustenburg at the weekend.
Hawks spokesperson Capt Tlangelani Rikhotso said a multipronged operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Crime Intelligence, K9, Flying squad and Transnet officials led to the arrest of two people, while a third man escaped.
He said the pair had been charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and theft of diesel worth about R480,000.
The fuel tanker and other equipment used were seized for further investigation.
The suspects, aged 27 and 34, were expected to make their first court appearance at the Rustenburg magistrate's court on Monday.
Two bust for stealing nearly R500,000 worth of diesel
Three men who secretly stole diesel by extracting it from underground pipeline and pumping it into a fuel tanker were caught red-handed at a site in Rustenburg at the weekend.
Hawks spokesperson Capt Tlangelani Rikhotso said a multipronged operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Crime Intelligence, K9, Flying squad and Transnet officials led to the arrest of two people, while a third man escaped.
He said the pair had been charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and theft of diesel worth about R480,000.
The fuel tanker and other equipment used were seized for further investigation.
The suspects, aged 27 and 34, were expected to make their first court appearance at the Rustenburg magistrate's court on Monday.