Telecom says it has lost more than N$800 000 worth of copper wire in the Erongo Region. The Erongo police say the copper wire were stolen between October last year and January 2018. Regional Crime Investigations Co-ordinator, Erastus Ikuyu says the biggest theft happened at Otjimbingwe, where 23 suspects are believed to have cut down Telecom poles, valued at close to N$700 000. Deputy Commissioner Ikuyu said the copper wire were removed from the poles and brought to Walvis Bay this month to be sold to a scrap dealer. Ikuyu confirmed that another scrap dealer was found with copper wires valued at N$128 000. It is alleged that the wire were removed from Telecom poles. Ikuyu said 10 more poles, valued at about N$7 000, were cut down between Swakopmund and Langer Heinrich Mine last December. The latest incident in January allegedly happened in Walvis Bay, where three suspects were caught with copper wire worth about N$10 000. Ikuyu further said the three suspects failed to give a satisfactory account of the possession of copper wire and were arrested. Most of the suspects have been arrested, while others have yet to be charged, pending the finalisation of police investigations.