Fixed telecommunications giant, TelOne has intensified efforts to end vandalism of their infrastructure including copper cables, through offering incentives to members of the public who provide information on culprits involved in such crimes.
In May this year, TelOne fell victim to a band of copper cable thieves who looted a 1,200m pair cable feeding a major section of the Harare’s central business district resulting in a disruption of service which affected at least 3 000 clients, including Police General Headquarters, Government security areas and other nearby properties.
To counter the exposed risk, TelOne is now offering monetary rewards to any members of the public with information which can lead to the arrest of these marauding copper cable thieves.
Posting on their social media accounts, TelOne said, “Earn Quick and Easy Money by helping TelOne in the fight against theft and vandalism of telecommunications assets such as copper cables. TelOne is offering a reward of up to $2,000 to anyone with information of such acts.”
“Send us an anonymous tip and choose how you want your reward to be paid. The reward is paid instantly provided an arrest or recovery has been made” continued the official statement from TelOne.
Since May, TelOne says over $20,000 has been paid this year in rewards to those who have tipped the operator on valuable information which has led to the arrest of suspected criminals operating across the country.
The telecom giant said a record 122 suspected criminals have been arrested on alleged crimes of looting the operator’s copper cables and destroying other telecommunication infrastructure in the process.
Copper cable theft attracts a ten year mandatory sentence for anyone convicted with five year imprisonment sanctioned on those who help transport the stolen copper cables or those who harbor the criminals.
