Police Uncover International Network Behind BTS Module Thefts Disrupting Jakarta-Java Signals
The Criminal Investigation Unit (Satresmob) of the Indonesian National Police has uncovered a network of theft and fencing of base transceiver station (BTS) modules, which caused the loss of cellular signals in several areas of Jakarta, Banten, and West Java. The perpetrators are suspected of being controlled by parties from abroad.
Head of the National Police Mobile Investigation Unit, Senior Commissioner Arsya Khadafi, stated that the stolen BTS modules were subsequently sent abroad by the perpetrators. “This syndicate is controlled by an international network. The successfully stolen BTS modules were collected by a collector and then sent abroad via an expedition service under the direction of a foreign national, Jason Zhang, who is suspected to be in Bangkok, Thailand,” Arsya said in a statement on Saturday (18/7/2026).
Police arrested several main suspects, including AN and ASA as the theft executors, RR, a former installation technician who broke into the Kalisari area in East Jakarta, and GA as the fence and collector of the stolen goods. The unit secured 38 BTS modules of various types, mobile phones, the perpetrators’ identities, and operational vehicles. The loss of these vital components directly impacted the paralysis of the public telecommunications network.
“The far greater immaterial loss was also felt by the public due to the disruption of communication access, which disturbed business and daily activities,” he said. The uncovering of this case began with reports from cellular and internet network providers who repeatedly lost BTS module devices. The theft caused losses of tens of billions of rupiah. “As a result of this gang’s actions, the material loss experienced by the telecommunications operator is estimated to have reached IDR 60 billion,” he stated.
Disguised as Technicians and Vendors
Through analysis of CCTV footage and field tracking, the team identified the perpetrators who carried out their actions by disguising themselves as official technicians using a black Toyota Avanza. “The perpetrators utilised the knowledge and access they had as former workers or network installation vendors. By carrying standard work tools, they dismantled the BTS module boxes without arousing the suspicion of local residents,” he said.
Four People on the Wanted List
Based on a report from the Taktakan Police, the joint team also combed the jurisdiction of the Serang City Police. In the Banten region, officers identified thefts at five different locations carried out by active vendor employees using a Daihatsu Sigra. The perpetrators stole 15 BTS modules and sold them to a local fence with the initials IG, also known as Kinoy, in Lebak Regency, Banten. IG, along with three other perpetrators in Jakarta, is currently on the wanted list.
From an in-depth examination of the suspect Adhia, suspicious fund flows were discovered involving 11 banking transactions worth tens of millions of rupiah to the suspect Ryan. For their actions, the suspects are charged with multiple articles, namely Article 477 of the Criminal Code on Aggravated Theft and Article 591 of the Criminal Code on Fencing. The National Police Criminal Investigation Unit has emphasised that it will continue to pursue other perpetrators who are still at large, hunt down local fences in the Karawang and Lebak areas, and trace the international distribution route to sever this black chain of state infrastructure theft at its roots.