BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) has arrested 13 suspects since mid-April 2026 in connection with cable theft and the purchase of stolen goods in several areas across the Sultanate.
According to the RBPF, the House Break-In and Car Theft Investigation Unit under the Criminal Investigation Department detained two male suspects, aged 30 and 32, in the middle of April in the Bandar Seri Begawan area, suspected of stealing and damaging Unified National Networks (UNN) cables at a building.
Following investigations, a 39-year-old foreign national was subsequently arrested on April 20 for allegedly purchasing the stolen cables.
Meanwhile, Bangar Police station apprehended a 41-year-old local man and a 29-year-old local woman on April 13 at the areas of Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge where several pieces of metal and rolls of cable wire were found in their vehicle. Investigations revealed that they had stolen UNN cables areas nearby to Kampong Bangar.
Berakas Police Station arrested two foreign male suspects, aged 38 and 39, on April 17. Both suspects, who were construction workers at a project site, were believed to have stolen copper materials from the same development site where they were employed.
In the Belait District, two local men, aged 34 and 46, were arrested on April 23 for allegedly stealing and selling cables in the Belait and Brunei-Muara areas.
On April 24, three local men and one local woman, aged between 34 and 51, were also arrested at a flat area, believed to be attempting to steal cables.
The arrests are part of a comprehensive nationwide effort led by the House Break-In and Car Theft Investigation Unit, with support from district police stations since last year.
The cooperation among authorities at all levels reflects the RBPF’s commitment to combating cable theft.
The RBPF reminded the public to report suspicious activities via the emergency hotline 993. Recycling companies are also urged to play their part by reporting to the authorities if they receive metal materials, such as copper, of suspicious origin.
Action will be taken against companies found to have accepted stolen goods without taking reasonable precautions.
Under Section 411 of the Penal Code (Chapter 22), the offence of receiving or retaining stolen property is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both. The penalty can be extended to up to 10 years if the offence involves public infrastructure. – Report: JAMES KON from Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network
