Footage showed masked men pulling Telekom Malaysia cables from manholes near a primary school in Negeri Sembilan. The gang is suspected of operating across four states.
Cover image via New Straits Times
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A cable theft gang allegedly operating across four states has been busted after its members were filmed pulling Telekom Malaysia (TM) cables out of manholes in broad daylight, with a Mercedes-Benz and a pickup truck among the vehicles used
Police arrested 14 suspects, including two women, following the incident near a primary school in Kampung Melayu Panchor, Negeri Sembilan, on 9 October.
According to the New Straits Times, the footage went viral online, showing four masked men allegedly removing cables from two TM manholes near a road junction outside the school.
The suspects, aged between 22 and 67, were later arrested in a series of raids in Labu and Nilai in Negeri Sembilan, as well as Dengkil in Selangor.
All 14 suspects have been remanded to assist with investigations.
Police seized five vehicles and sacks of burnt copper wire
Seremban police chief ACP Mohd Yatim Osman said the arrests had helped police solve several cable theft cases reported across Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah, and Melaka.
During the operation, police seized five vehicles, cable-cutting tools, three sacks of burnt copper wire, and clothing allegedly worn by the suspects during the Panchor theft.
The discovery of the burnt copper wire is among the details emerging from the investigation into the alleged cable theft operation.
Mohd Yatim said the case was being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft and Section 235 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.
Those convicted of the relevant offences could face imprisonment and fines, depending on the charges and applicable penalties.
Police have not disclosed the estimated value of the stolen cables or the total losses linked to the cases the arrests have helped solve.
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