Thieves leave town in the dark

TANGERANG: An official blamed thieves for the absence of street lighting in many neighborhoods in Tangerang in the past year, which has irked taxpayers.

Endrawiyanto, an official at the municipal public works agency said on Tuesday that many street lamps were stolen, but none of the culprits had ever been arrested, making the administration reluctant to replace the lamps.

"But we plan to install the lamps in locked iron casing to prevent them from being stolen again. We also ask the cooperation of residents to watch out for thieves...there will be rewards for those who able to catch the street lamp thieves red-handed," he said.

The neighborhoods that are currently without street lighting are, among others, Mutiara Pluit, Najar Wijaya, Perumnas, Modern Land, Cimone Mas Permai, and Vila Regensi Tangerang housing complexes.

Many street lamps on several main roads such as Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Jl. Raya Bayur, Jl. KS Tubun, Jl. Raden Saleh are also broken.

Three percent of Jakartans monthly electricity bill is allocated for the maintenance of street lighting. The administration received Rp 34 billion (US$4 million) for street lighting in 2003 and has targeted Rp 37.5 billion from this year's revenue. -- JP