KUANTAN: Police have crippled four gangs suspected of robbing and stealing cables belonging to the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and Telekom Malaysia (TM) in operations conducted around Temerloh and Mentakab from Oct 12 until today.
Temerloh police chief ACP Mohd Nasyim Bahron said in a statement that two robbery cases involving ECRL cable storage facilities and five TM cable theft cases were reported in Temerloh, Mentakab and Lanchang between September and October this year.
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He said 17 local men aged between 20 and 60 were arrested during the operations, with total losses suffered by ECRL and TM estimated at RM75,000.
“The first group, known as Geng Ravi, was crippled through operations conducted from Oct 12 to Oct 15. Investigations revealed that the gang was also believed to be involved in several iron and cable theft cases at project sites and factories abandoned by their owners since July this year, while police are tracking down two other suspects who remain at large,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said police crippled Geng Kepala on Oct 14. The gang is believed to have been involved in several cable thefts from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) storage facilities, factories and roadside locations around Mentakab since August.
Mohd Nasyim said police arrested a 28-year-old man believed to be a member of Geng Dany in Mentakab yesterday for suspected TM cable theft. He added that the gang had previously been active in similar activities around Kuala Lumpur.
“The suspect confessed to involvement in several TM cable thefts along roadsides around Mentakab since October this year, alongside another accomplice who remains at large,” he said.
In an early-morning operation today, police also crippled Geng Mista, which is believed to have been involved in several TM cable thefts from manholes and roadside poles around Temerloh, Mentakab, Jerantut and Maran since July.
“The gang leader was identified as a member of Geng Kepala who was arrested on Oct 14, while another suspect remains at large,” he said.
He said police seized several vehicles, including a lorry, along with coils and cut pieces of cable belonging to ECRL, TNB and TM. They also seized cut pieces of iron poles and tools believed to have been used to steal and process the cables.
Mohd Nasyim said all the suspects were detained to assist in investigations under Sections 395 and 379 of the Penal Code, Section 431A of the Penal Code, and Section 235(2) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.