Dozens of Streetlights in South Jakarta Stolen, Perpetrators Used Surrounding Trees

Vandals are believed to have exploited trees to damage 25 public street lighting (PJU) lamps on Jalan Teuku Nyak Arief, Kebayoran Lama district. The finding was based on an investigation by the South Jakarta Bina Marga Agency. “The perpetrators of the theft are also suspected of using the trees to steal the cables,” said Head of the South Jakarta Bina Marga Agency, Rifki Rismal, on Wednesday (10/6/2026). Rifki stated that the vandalism on Sunday (7/6/2026) night caused 25 streetlight poles to go out and fail to function normally, resulting in a dark roadway. The vandalism was allegedly committed by individuals who utilised surrounding trees to steal the cables. In its response, the South Jakarta Bina Marga Agency is coordinating with the South Jakarta City Forestry Agency and PT Transjakarta. The treatment of the trees around the site will only involve canopy trimming or light pruning, not felling. “That is correct, coordination with the Forestry Agency and Transjakarta. They will not be cut down, they only need canopy trimming,” said Rifki. The South Jakarta City Government has urged the public to help maintain public facilities and avoid acts of vandalism that can harm the wider community. Residents are also asked to play an active role in reporting any damage to public facilities in their surrounding environment. The issue went viral on the Instagram account of community volunteer @ijoeel, which posted a video showing Jalan Teuku Arief in Kebayoran Lama in complete darkness after the streetlights were damaged by vandalism.