Electricity theft rampant in Ancol

JAKARTA: Electricity theft in Ancol subdistrict is rampant, with only about 20 percent of residents subscribing to the state- owned electricity company PLN and paying bills, an official of the subdistrict said.

"Only about 20 percent of 600 houses in the subdistrict are listed as official subscribers of PLN. The rest just steal the electricity by connecting their houses to PLN's electricity network illegally," Ancol Subdistrict Council chairman Sukirno said here on Tuesday.

Speaking in Ancol on national electricity day, Sukirno said that he was concerned electricity subscribers may also endeavor to steal their electricity needs.

He said the electricity theft would not only harm PLN but the residents as well, as connecting their houses illegally to the PLN network could cause short-circuits.

"Such short-circuits have caused fires in the residential area several times," he said, recalling fires in 1992, 1997 and 1998. --JP