KAI: The Iron Theft At The KM227 Rail Has Been Handled, Will Not Disturb The Train Trip In Garut

Police have secured the location of the railroad tracks in Malangbong District, Garut Regency, West Java, Tuesday (18/7/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Polsek Malangbong)

GARUT - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) said that the theft of railroad iron (KA) in the Malangbong area, Garut Regency, West Java, had been handled according to procedures and did not interfere with the southern train journey. "That's right, stay normal," said Public Relations Manager Daop 2 Bandung Mahendro Trang Bawono when contacted in Garut, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, July 18. PT KAI has received information about the arrest of two perpetrators by the Malangbong Police. The perpetrator's action took place at KM227 plots of the Warungbandrek-Bumiwaluya road, precisely along the Bunisari Village route to Citaros Village, Malangbong District, Tuesday morning. The evidence that was secured was the result of the theft, namely 1 track stock measuring 1.5 meters and 2 iron bearings with a length of 3 meters which were ready to be transported using the perpetrator's vehicle. "The two perpetrators, according to reports in the field, were about to steal used tracks that functioned as rebuttal stone retainers," he said. The goods stolen by the perpetrators were not active rail lines that were used as the main route, although they could still endanger the safety of train travel because of disruption of rail line geometry to unstable. "This can result in the condition of the geometry of the railroad tracks being disrupted and unstable," he said. PT KAI has been trying to secure railroad tracks, especially in the Operational Area 2 Bandung by deploying security officers and installing surveillance cameras in areas prone to theft. He also expressed his gratitude to the ranks of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Malangbong Police for working together to take action against the perpetrators of the theft of train transportation facilities in the Garut area. "Daop 2 Bandung would like to thank the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Malangbong Police for working together to take action against the theft," he said. He hopes that the public can play an active role in reporting any suspicious incidents such as rail theft to PT KAI officers and the local police. "We remind that the perpetrators of the theft will be subject to Article 363 of the Criminal Code concerning theft and Weighting with a maximum penalty of seven years in prison," he said. Previously, the ranks of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Malangbong Police arrested two people who had stolen iron supporting rail bearings on the active train line in Malangbong District, Garut Regency, West Java, early Tuesday morning.

Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Malangbong Police, Bripka Dani Nuroni Rukmana, said the two perpetrators were arrested when their staff carried out patrols during vulnerable hours in the Malangbong area. The two perpetrators claimed to have taken iron on the railroad tracks. As a result of his actions, the police detained the perpetrator for further legal examination.