Hours after the Guyana Police Force (GPF) reported that it had launched an investigation into a $1.6 million copper cable theft at the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, detectives swooped down on a house in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, which led to the arrest of a scrap metal dealer who allegedly purchased the stolen cables.
The 52-year-old businessman, who operates out of Lot 93 Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, was detained following the arrest and confession of a 39-year-old man, Roy Morgan, Wednesday evening on the bridge with cutting equipment. At the time, he was wearing a safety helmet and a reflective vest, thus giving the impression that he was a worker at the bridge.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, when contacted, confirmed that after his arrest, the 39-year-old man admitted to stealing and selling the copper cable for $15,000 in order to purchase food and drugs.
This was confirmed by the businessman, who stated that he had indeed purchased 30 pounds of copper from the suspect but could not recall the description and, moreover, made no attempt to find out where he had acquired it.
However, a search of his Sussex Street bond, according to Blanhum, did not yield any success, but detectives proceeded to his home in Tuschen, where they conducted a search that resulted in the discovery of two pieces of copper wire similar to the copper missing from the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge.
Both the scrap metal dealer and the seller remain in custody pending investigations.
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