Eight Nabbed Over Copper Cable Theft

IPOH, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- Police arrested eight men on suspicion of stealing Telekom Malaysia (TM) copper cables in Jalan Keliling, Taman Canning here early today.

Perak Police Chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said the suspects, aged between 18 and 36, were nabbed in Kampung Bharu here at 3:30 am.

"Police received a report from a 31-year-old man at about 2.30 am who saw men in a four-wheel drive vehicle had opened a manhole on the road and pulled out a 300-metre long cable.

"He contacted the police, and when the suspects realised the presence of the complainant, they fled using two other vehicles, a Perodua Axia and Myvi," he said when met by reporters at the scene.

Azizi said police had seized some of the equipment used in stealing the cables and the four-wheel drive vehicle.

Azizi said the case is being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.

Checks on those arrested found that seven of them had previous criminal and drug-related records.

Meanwhile, Azizi said Police had opened 247 investigation papers involving the theft of cables from telecommunication companies and Tenaga Nasional Berhad in the first eight months of this year.

"The stolen cables were believed to have been disposed of at licensed and unlicensed second-hand scrap metal shops.

"Police will take strict action against the buyers of these stolen cables, including action taken to cancel second hand scrap metal business licences if the traders are found to be involved," he said.

-- BERNAMA