Street Light Cable Thief Apprehended After Caught in the Act in East Jakarta

The Head of Criminal Investigation at Jatinegara Police, AKP Eko Bayu, explained how the man was caught. He stated that the suspect was spotted while officials were performing maintenance work near Jalan Basuki Rahmat, Cipinang Muara, East Jakarta.

“On Monday, 1 June 2026, at approximately 13:00 WIB, witnesses working as part of the Bina Marga Street Lighting Task Force were conducting inspections of the street lighting,” Bayu explained during a confirmation on Tuesday (2/6/2026).

“While passing through Jalan Basuki Rahmat, Cipinang Muara, Jatinegara, East Jakarta, they spotted a suspicious individual near an electrical substation,” he continued.

At that moment, officials approached the suspect, who was found in the process of stealing street lighting cables. According to Bayu, the man was attempting to extract the cables from their aluminium casing leading to the kWh meter using a modified hammer and wire cutters.

The Bina Marga officials immediately detained the suspect and contacted the Jatinegara Police. Upon receiving the report, the Jatinegrim Police Criminal Unit arrived at the scene to secure the suspect and the evidence.

“The suspect and the evidence have been taken to the Jatinegara Police Station for further investigation,” said Bayu.

It is reported that street lights at several locations in the East Jakarta area have been extinguished due to these thefts. Bina Marga records indicate that street lighting cables in the East Jakarta area have been stolen four times between April and May 2026.