Waterkloof navigation beacon stolen

Pretoria - Not even navigation beacons on airfields are safe from thieves these days - as personnel at Waterkloof air force base discovered recently after thieves systematically stripped the main beacon on the field.

The beacons are vital to pilots doing instrument landings, which is mainly in bad weather conditions.

Lieutenant Ronald Maseko of the air force confirmed on Tuesday that a Kenwood radio and the power supply unit had been stolen from the beacon recently. The beacon, which is housed in a casing the size of a trailer and equipped with antennas, was mounted about 2km from the Waterkloof runway. It was also closed in behind a fence.

According to experts, it looked as if the beacon had been stripped by someone who was looking specifically for its components.

Closed for renovation

"The equipment has no commercial value. The radio sends out a specific identification signal for Waterkloof and the power unit was built for this specific power supply."

They also said an ordinary thief would not have known what was housed inside the beacon and would not have known to remove only certain components. However, Maseko said the theft of the components did not necessary affect the beacon. But, experts say that without its radio and power supply the beacon would not be able to send out a signal.

Maseko also said the runway was closed until the end of May for renovations.

It was not known what it would cost to repair the beacon. According to Maseko, the theft had been reported to police but no suspects had been arrested. He says that hopefully the beacon, and the runway, will both be fully operational by June.

News24