Brazen copper thieves operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have adopted the daring tactic of boarding moving trucks and unloading cargo while rigs are in transit.
This emerged after a terrified truck driver posted a voice message relating his ordeal on the WhatsApp group of the Transit Assistance Bureau (“Transist”) yesterday.
In a separate message Transist itself said: “Please be on high alert in the vicinity of Kolwezi if you are carrying copper plates going south towards Lubumbashi.”
According to the bureau the practice involves assailants tailing trucks, boarding trailers, cutting cargo straps, and throwing copper onto the side of the road – which is then picked up by a vehicle following the targeted truck.
“The transporter involved in this incident was Cargo 2 Congo. Please be on high alert in this area.”
Although the message is unclear what can be heard is a clearly anguished man saying the driver in question had been followed and had all his copper stolen.
“Please, please, call the police. I was scared. They have stolen all the copper.”
It appears that the assailants struck in the vicinity of a weighbridge south of Kolwezi in the DRC’s copper mining province of Haut Katanga on the way to Likasi.
Yesterday another cargo theft incident was also reported at Kapiri Mposhi south of Ndola in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province.
According to a Transist source the truck was later recovered minus its cargo.
Yesterday’s incidents of cargo crime on the North-South Corridor from the Port of Durban up north through Zimbabwe into Zambia and the DRC follow two incidents that were reported south of Musina some two weeks ago.
The source said: “I would like to bring the following four incidents to your attention and would like to request that we minimise any risky behaviour on route.
“All our personnel have been warned and we are putting more resources into the protection of loads on route.”
With regard to the safety of drivers and security of loads on the NSC, the source told Transist: “Things are definitely heating up again and we should all be fully aware of it in whatever we do.”
Fears have since been expressed that criminal elements could start targeting sections along the entire NSC.