A notorious Gqeberha alleged petty crime nuisance nicknamed 'Kawasaki' is back in custody after private security caught him with 6kg of Telkom copper. It's the latest twist in Nelson Mandela Bay's escalating battle against cable theft and vandalism.

A tip-off about an alleged serial thief led to the offices of private security firm Tac Net, whose operators conduct constant patrols in Theescombe and among the smallholdings on the outskirts of Gqeberha.

Since 2018, they have been tracking the movements of a suspect known for his alleged involvement in cable theft, burglaries and other petty crimes.

Tac Net members have picked him up at least eight times and handed him over to the police, but within days rumours would circulate that he was on the loose again, doing casual work on farms or allegedly up to no good.

In an office at Tac Net's headquarters in Walmer on Monday, the firm's owner, Abri Pienaar, was outlining some of the encounters his employees have had with the notorious "Kawasaki" when an operative walked in and handed him a phone.

Pienaar stared at the phone, a look of disbelief on his face. "It's him again. It's Kawasaki," he said, slamming his open palm...