Police have intensified their crackdown on infrastructure vandalism, resulting in the arrest of several suspects in separate incidents of copper cable theft on October 28, 2025.
Police officers at a roadblock stationed at the 73 km peg along the Murewa–Madicheche Road arrested three suspects, Johanne Kaswove, Godknows Kutama, and Ernest Sau, for unlawful possession of copper cables.
The trio was traveling in a Toyota Dyna vehicle, which upon inspection, yielded two sacks filled with armoured copper cables reportedly stolen from three transformers in Mutawatawa.
In addition to the stolen cables, officers recovered a cache of tools believed to have been used in the thefts, including a 24-inch bolt cutter, a hacksaw, an eight-inch shifting spanner, a 160mm side cutter, two screwdrivers and an electronic scale from the vehicle.
On the same day, police in Bulawayo arrested Thuthukani Ndlovu (27) and Melulekh Nkiwane (24) for allegedly vandalising a ZESA transformer in Cowdray Park.
The suspects reportedly stole 30 meters of four-core transformer copper cables. Police recovered the stolen cables and are continuing investigations into the extent of the damage caused.
Also on October 28, ZRP Pumula officers arrested Often Tamuka (21) in connection with the theft of ZESA copper cables.
Police recovered three 30-meter copper cables, a bolt cutter, and a scale from the suspect.
The theft and vandalism of copper cables have become a growing concern across Zimbabwe, disrupting electricity supply and costing millions in repairs.
