A transformer worth more than half a million rand recently stolen from the City of Cape Town was tracked down to a farm in Darling on the west coast on Friday.

Cape Town safety and security MMC JP Smith said members of the city's metal theft unit were alerted about the whereabouts of the heavy-duty electrical transformer that was in the process of being stripped for its copper components.

They alerted their colleagues in the Swartland municipality and jointly converged on a stores building on a farm.

“Upon their approach, a male suspect was seen running from the premises but was quickly apprehended. Officers then entered the building, and another suspect was found hiding between several machines. Further inspections uncovered the frame of a 3,000kg high-voltage electrical transformer, already stripped and disassembled.

“With 210l of the transformer oil already drained into plastic drums, the remaining components and switchgear had already been cut apart and were ready to be sold to scrap dealers.”

He said the transformer is estimated to be worth about R600,000.

Both suspects were arrested.

Smith credited the arrests to the information received from the public.

“Crime intelligence is an important aspect of any crime-fighting organisation. In the ancient teachings of Sun Tzu, chapter 13 specifically guided the manner in which spies should be protected and respected in times of battle.

“While we do not see ourselves having to command an army of soldiers, we are at war against crime nonetheless.”

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