2 Thieves of Underground Electrical Cables Next to the Mediterranean Marina Residence Apartment Arrested by the Police

The scene of the cable theft/ Photo: IIST

JAKARTA - The Pademangan Police Criminal Investigation Unit has managed to uncover the perpetrators of stealing underground cables supplying electricity to a number of public facilities on Jalan Lodan Raya, precisely next to the Mediterania Marina Residence apartment, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta.

Two perpetrators were arrested by members of the Pademangan Police Criminal Unit. The two suspects are known as AR (45) and TN (44).

The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pademangan Police, AKP Doly Septian, said the arrest of the two perpetrators began with information from the public to the police.

Then the Opsnal Team of the Pademangan Police Criminal Investigation Unit immediately checked the Tkp and followed the extension of the location where the cable theft occurred.

"The team suspected a group of people who were not far from the crime scene, then carried out a pursuit and managed to secure two perpetrators with initials AR and TN," said AKP Doly when confirmed, Monday, August 3, 2026.

For further investigation, the two perpetrators were then taken to the Pademangan Police. However, during the interrogation, the perpetrator admitted that he had only committed the act of stealing the cable for the first time.

"The impact of the perpetrator's actions, which destroyed public facilities and stole underground cables, is very detrimental to the wider community," he said.

The act of stealing underground cables can cause paralysis of public facilities, weaken the economic sector that depends on electricity and threaten the survival of the community.

"It can trigger power outages, disrupt telecommunications networks and trigger floods due to cable skin waste. In addition, it can disrupt business and office sectors that depend on electricity and the internet," he said.

Furthermore, the impact of the loss of the community due to the perpetrator's actions is the existence of a mine hole that can endanger the community and can trigger a fire due to an electrical short circuit.

"The evidence seized was a machete, 6 iron saws, 5 cutting pliers, a cutter knife, scissors, mine rope and medium voltage cable channel (SKTM) 20 KV," he said.

Meanwhile, a urine test was conducted on the two perpetrators, both of whom tested positive for drugs.

"The motive for the theft is due to economic factors and drug addiction," he said.

In the action, the perpetrators in groups destroyed the concrete pipe channel protecting the underground cable (Duct Bank) using a Linggis, then dug it up and pulled it to the surface, then cut it with a saw.

For their actions, the two perpetrators were charged with Article 477 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 262 of the Criminal Code with a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison.

"If the public sees suspicious movements, immediately report to the nearest police station or call center service 110," he said.