Six suspects were arrested on Monday after Eskom copper cables were found in their vehicle on the N14 between Coligny and Ventersdorp.

Police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh said 13 rolled bundles of copper cable worth an estimated R22 500 were found in a Quantum driven by a 41-year-old man.

Myburgh said investigations determined that the copper cables were stolen from an Eskom substation close to Coligny.

She said police received information on Monday of two vehicles, a Toyota Quantum and Nissan NP 300 bakkie, driving around in the early morning hours on the N14 between Coligny and Ventersdorp.

"With the assistance of the local neighbourhood watch, the police followed the vehicles and when they stopped the Toyota Quantum at about 4:00, two suspects got out and fled the scene while the Nissan NP 300 took a turn into a nearby location and vanished.

"Subsequent to the arrest, neighbouring stations were alerted of the NP 300 bakkie that fled the scene. However, members of the Klerksdorp Flying Squad noticed the Nissan bakkie on the N12 road between Wolmaransstad and Klerksdorp about three hours later. They stopped the vehicle and apprehended five more suspects, all Mozambican nationals between the ages of 21 and 33," said Myburgh.

The six suspects were expected to appear in the Coligny Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for possession of suspected stolen copper cables as well as causing damages to and tampering with essential infrastructure in accordance with Section 3 of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act, 2015 (Act No.18 of 2015).

News24 previously reported that a man accused of stealing cellphone batteries in various parts of South Africa over two years was arrested.

David Mathebula, 55, allegedly stole the batteries to sell them in his home country, Mozambique.

News24 reported that when Mathebula was arrested, he was a passenger in a vehicle officers had pulled over.

Upon searching the car, the police found tower batteries.

When police took his fingerprints, they discovered that the prints matched those of someone who had been stealing cellphones in five provinces since 2021.

In a separate incident, two men were arrested on 1 June for stock theft after they were found with a donkey cart loaded with goat carcasses.

Siamang Kapari, 33, and Dikgang Daniel Madisa, 38, were arrested after police received information that the cart was next to the Botswana Port of Entry in Matlhase village, Lehurutshe, loaded with the carcasses.

"Police were assisted by local community members and two suspects were cornered and apprehended. Six goat carcasses were found in their possession, which they could not account for. With the assistance of tattoo markings on the carcasses, the owner was traced," said Myburgh.

Kapari and Madisa appeared in the Lehurutshe Magistrate's Court on Monday for stock theft and will remain in custody until their next court appearance on 12 June.