IDR 500 Million Fine Board Unable To Prevent, Mount Kelud Monitoring Tool Is IDR 1.5 Billion Lost

The condition of the place for monitoring equipment for Mount Kelud was stolen in Ngaringan Village, Gandusari District, Blitar Regency, East Java. ANTARA/HO-Pos Monitoring Gunung Kelud.

KEDIRI - The Mount Kelud Observation Post in Ngancar District, Kediri Regency, East Java, reported the disappearance of one of the volcanic monitoring tools worth Rp. 1.5 billion which was allegedly stolen.

Mount Kelud observer Budi Prianto said the incident was discovered on September 8, 2025 after the equipment no longer sent the data.

"Usually if there is a disturbance, for example aki drops or lacks sunlight. However, after checking, it turns out that there was theft," said Budi in Kediri, Antara, Wednesday, September 10.

According to Budi, his party did not expect the theft to occur. In fact, at the location of the device, an announcement board was installed that the equipment was used for monitoring Mount Kelud.

On the board, it is also written a warning that disturbing equipment can be fined Rp. 500 million and a five-year prison sentence. The installation location is also equipped with a fence.

The lost equipment is in Ngaringan Village, Gandusari District, Blitar Regency. Several components were stolen, including six battery units, lightning rods, Seismic Broadband Certimus along with cables, as well as a number of other cables.

The location of the installation point is relatively difficult for the general public to reach. The route is near the climb of the Fake Site. Usually only climbers or people who are used to passing by are able to arrive," said Budi.

He added that this theft had an impact on the disruption of the monitoring process for Mount Kelud activities. The tool functions to record earthquake vibrations, while deformation tools are used to monitor certain point shifts.

"The loss is not only material, but also the loss of monitoring data," he said.

This case has been reported to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) in Bandung and the Gandusari Police, Blitar Regency.

Currently, there are nine units of Mount Kelud monitoring equipment spread across several points. The stolen equipment was only installed one year ago, along with the installation of other devices in Ngantang District, Malang Regency, and Besowo Village, Kediri District.