West Java Police Arrest 3 Railroad Iron Thieves In West Bandung

The Head of Public Relations of the West Java Police, Kombes Jules Abraham Abast, when the case of the theft of railroads was released at the West Java Police Headquarters, Bandung City, Tuesday (15/10/2024). (ANTARA/Rubby Jovan)

The West Java Regional Police (Polda) arrested three perpetrators of theft of railroad reserves of iron stored on the outskirts of the rail to maintain the smooth train journey if there were obstacles in Rendeu Village, Cikalong Wetan District, West Bandung Regency.

The Head of Public Relations of the West Java Police, Kombes Jules Abraham Abast, said that the theft of rail iron was carried out by three perpetrators using welding equipment by cutting rail iron into 35 rods with a length of 2.8 meters each.

"The total weight of the stolen rail iron was 5.2 tons. PT KAI suffered a loss of Rp. 513 million," Jules said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 15.

Jules revealed that after the rail iron was cut, it was transported to a truck on the highway and had been prepared beforehand. They brought the rail iron to be sold to Bekasi.

He said the West Java Police Resmob team found information about the theft on Friday (11/10) and checked the location. However, the perpetrators were gone and the spare rail iron had been taken away.

"The pursuit was carried out, an investigation in the Karawang area on Jalan Baru was found by an iron cargo truck for the railroad reserves suspected of being the result of the theft and admitted by the suspects so that the suspect was taken to the West Java Police Ditreskrimum office," he said.

Police have secured trucks loaded with spare rail iron, welding equipment, LPG cylinders and two oxygen cylinders and 35 railroad iron rods.

For their actions, the perpetrators were charged with Article 363 paragraphs one and two of the Criminal Code with the threat of a sentence of nine years in prison.

"The three perpetrators have carried out their actions seven times since September," Jules said.

Meanwhile, Public Relations Manager of PT KAI Daop 2 Bandung Ayep Hanapi said that throughout 2024 there have been two criminal acts of used reserve rail theft.

The first incident on the road plots of a bandrek-Cibatu stall and the perpetrator was arrested. While the other in West Bandung Regency.

"We are collaborating with the regional police to prevent recurring incidents, hopefully after being arrested, the perpetrators will be deterrent," he said.