Copper wire theft is a new trend in Namibia targeting Telecommunication installations. Internet and voice services have been disrupted i...
Internet and voice services have been disrupted in Namibia due to Copper cable theft that affected Telecom Namibia’s underground network in the southern part of Windhoek in the Cimbebasia suburb since late last week. According to the company, at least 500 to 800 business and residential customers have been affected by this latest incident.
The thieves target Telecom underground network in the southern part of Windhoek disrupted voice and data services in Cimbebasia, which is bordered by Prosperita to the north and Kleine Kuppe to the east. A 1000 pair copper cable was stolen on the corner of Mataman and Arimas streets, when thieves broke the locks of two manholes and gained access to cut the cable. “Copper cable theft is not new in Namibia, but lately it has reached an unprecedented scale, especially in Windhoek. Telecom Namibia is greatly concerned of the pattern of copper cable theft in the City and is committed to working with police to curb any recurrences,” Head of Corporate Communications & Public Relations, Oiva Angula said in press statement.
According to, a local newspaper technicians have worked tirelessly this week to restore services. Telecom Namibia has commenced the restoration process and services will progressively be fixed during the course of this week. The telecom provider has apologised for the inconvenience caused by this outage, and has assured customers that they are doing all they can to curb any further copper cable theft in the area.The company has appealed to residents in the affected area to be on high alert, and to report any suspicious activity. Telecom Namibia is offering a reward for information that leads to the criminals behind the theft.
Copper wire, copper pipes, or any other components made of copper, are a growing temptation for metal thieves hoping to take advantage of copper’s high value. Some grades of copper can fetch almost $3 a pound, making construction sites, scrap yards, communications hubs and even hydro poles vulnerable to the threat of theft. One single pallet of copper wiring can be worth $6,000! It’s an in-demand metal that is often left unsecured, and since stolen copper is difficult to track, thieves continue to target sites that contain this valuable metal.
Security Measure
If you have any amount of copper in your area like house,construction site, compound or warehouse, you're vulnerable to copper theft. Copper theft is a growing problem in the world. Criminals are turning to stealing any bit of copper they can get their hands on - tearing out pipes and plumbing system from walls, taking apart air conditioners, destroying street lamps, breaking into construction sites and more. Vacant or unnocupied facilities and warehouses are particularly vulnerable to copper theft and the extreme damage repair costs associated with it. Therefore, it’s important to be proactive in protecting your valuable assets from theft, especially when it comes to copper. Use the CCTV Video Surveillance, Verified Security Alarms and others solutions to ward off who could-be intruders.