Police and PLN launch effort against power theft

Police and PLN launch effort against power theft

Police and state electricity firm PLN have agreed to
work together to stamp out power theft.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo announced on Monday
that a joint operation, codenamed Operasi Kilat, had started on
May 15 and would last a month.

The operation, he said, targeted mainly power theft committed
by industrial plants and firms.

"The theft of power by many big plants that use electricity
more than their allowable power capacity has caused massive
losses to the state," he said.

PLN reported earlier that it suffered annual losses of up to
Rp 1.3 trillion due to power theft.

Prasetyo added that in addition to industrial plants, private
homes would also be targeted in raids, particularly since power
theft by individuals was often less professional done and could
cause fires.

The City Fire Department reported that 70 percent of the fires
in Jakarta, which average 700 fires annually, were caused by
short circuits.

"In the operation, police officers along with officers from
PLN will check industrial plants, firms and homes to see whether
or not those power users are using electricity in accordance with
their allowable power capacity," said Prasetyo.

He said violators would be charged under Criminal Code Article
363 on theft, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in
prison. --JP