It was 2007 and Cape Town - like the rest of South Africa - was plagued by a copper theft epidemic. Something had to be done, and city councillor Pieter van Dalen was given the job to do it. I recommended that we needed a special unit, and I went to law enforcement and said: Give me your troublemakers. We got the dog catchers and those who dealt with petty crimes, but we ended up with 12 very dedicated people who became known as the Copperheads, Van Dalen, a former police officer, said. They were given three months training, and then they hit the streets of Cape Town. In that first year, they busted a well-known pastor and a 16-year-old cable thief who had been shocked so many times his hands were disfigured. The Copper heads made good arrests and gained a reputation. Seven years later, there is a call to take Van Dalens dirty dozen to national level.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 06:52:41 +0000
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