Former BTS Tower Worker Arrested for Stealing Dozens of Iron Bars

A man with the initials PEW has been arrested by police in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java. The 42-year-old stole dozens of iron bars from a BTS tower project in Suwat Village, Gianyar District.

“On Wednesday, 10 June 2026, the suspect was apprehended in Gunung Terong Village, Kalibaru District, Banyuwangi Regency,” said Gianyar Police Chief Commissioner I Made Adi Suryawan in a statement on Friday (12/6/2026).

Suryawan said the theft occurred on 26 May 2026. It was discovered when there was a shortage of iron bars delivered to the project site. The project executor for the BTS tower noticed the discrepancy. A total of 79 iron bars measuring 16 millimetres (mm) had gone missing from the project site. The loss of the construction material was then reported to the police.

“As a result of the incident, PT Tower BTS suffered a loss estimated at Rp15 million and subsequently reported the matter to the Gianyar Police,” Suryawan said.

Suryawan stated that the project executor’s report was then investigated. The investigation led to PEW, a former worker on the project. His whereabouts were traced to Banyuwangi. PEW was then pursued to East Java. After a brief search, PEW was finally apprehended in Gunung Terong Village, Kalibaru District, Banyuwangi Regency.

Police seized a number of items from PEW as evidence. These included hundreds of stolen iron bars, a pickup truck, a motorcycle, a mobile phone, a gas cylinder, and a set of iron-cutting tools believed to have been used in the theft.

“Currently, the perpetrator and the evidence have been secured at the Gianyar Police Station to undergo further legal proceedings in accordance with applicable regulations,” he said.

Suryawan stated that based on interrogation results, the perpetrator admitted to stealing the iron bars belonging to PT Tower BTS and selling them to a scrap metal collector. After committing the act, PEW fled to East Java.