Gate motor skelms are driving Grassy Park cops off the rails as over 70 homes have been targeted in recent months.
Speaking to the Daily Voice following the arrest of two men who were caught red handed with a motor this week, station commander Colonel Dawood Laing says skelms are coining it as they take advantage of loadshedding.
He says during the early hours on Tuesday a homeowner in Second Avenue noted the motor for his gate had been stolen and called cops.
"It was about 2.30am and he heard noises and saw the motor was stolen. He called the station but as officers were patrolling they caught red handed still carrying the motor. They were arrested and will appear in Wynberg Court soon."
Laing explains that in the investigations cops have discovered that there are two buyers of the stolen motors but have been unable to make arrests yet.
"There is a place in Grassy Park and Steenberg where the motors are being sold but each time we go we don't find anything,” says Laing.
“See, the skelms are taking advantage of loadshedding and we see an increase in the amount of cases reported during this time.
“They sell it for about R800 but it costs the homeowners between R5000 and R10 000 to replace.
“Since April we have had 72 reported cases across the precinct including Grassy Park, Lotus River and Ottery."