KUALA LUMPUR: The police have toppled a cable theft ring at the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT 3) construction site with the arrest of five male workers, including a Pakistani national, at three project sites.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director, Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, said the arrests were made between 6.30pm and 9pm on Thursday (Aug 1) in Shah Alam and Damansara.
He stated that raids were conducted at the LRT 3 construction sites on Jalan Persiaran Raja Muda, Section 2, and Persiaran Dato Menteri, Section 14 in Shah Alam and Kayu Ara Damansara.
"A car, a key, and six mobile phones were seized from the suspects," he said at a press conference on Friday (Aug 2).
Mohd Shuhaily said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects worked for the LRT 3 project contractor, and had access to the construction sites.
"The group would steal cables from the construction sites using a specially rented truck. The cables were then cut and sold at scrap metal shops around Klang," he said.
He added that the group had been active for nearly a year, causing losses amounting to RM2,506,500 for the project owners. These cables function as a conductor for directing electric current to the ground.
Mohd Shuhaily added that the project owners in Shah Alam and Klang have lodged 15 police reports on the thefts.
"The suspects are now detained at the Shah Alam central lockup, and the case is being investigated under Section 431A and Section 379 of the Penal Code," he said. – Bernama
