Road Works Officers Apprehend Street Lighting Cable Thief

Public Street Lighting (PJU) officers from the Jatinegara District Road Works Sub-department have apprehended a thief stealing copper cables from the public street lighting network on Jalan Basuki Rahmat, East Jakarta.

“After receiving reports from task force colleagues, we immediately went into the field. It turned out to be true that the cables were being stolen and cut by the perpetrator,” said Antoni Leonard Pasarribu, a member of the Jatinegara PJU Task Force, in East Jakarta on Tuesday.

The perpetrator, caught red-handed on Monday (1/6) afternoon, was found cutting copper cables, which are vital components of the street lighting system. The incident came to light after the PJU Task Force received reports of suspicious activity around the street lighting panels at the scene.

Upon investigating the report, officers discovered a man cutting cables connected to the public lighting network. Antoni noted that the team acted swiftly following information from colleagues who suspected a theft attempt in the area.

According to Antoni, the target of the theft was 450mm copper cable, commonly used in public street lighting networks. This type of cable has a high economic value, making it a frequent target for theft; copper cable prices can reach approximately Rp500,000 per metre. The high resale value suggests the perpetrator intended to sell the stolen goods for quick profit.

At the time of his arrest, the perpetrator had managed to cut approximately one metre of cable from the network connected directly to the electrical panel. The action was halted before more significant damage could occur. The perpetrator claimed to be acting alone, citing economic hardship and the need to meet household expenses as his motivation.

The suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation to determine if there is involvement from other parties or if he has been involved in similar previous incidents.

Disruptions to the street lighting network at the scene were addressed immediately. PJU officers carried out repairs once the apprehension process was complete. “If we had not handled it immediately, the lights would certainly have gone out. However, following the incident, we performed repairs and they are now lit again for the convenience of the public,” said Antoni.

In addition to the arrest, officers seized several pieces of evidence used in the theft, including cutting pliers, various tools, sacks, and an identity card (KTP) believed not to belong to the perpetrator.