SEPANG, May 27 — Five cops on the payroll of a cable theft syndicate were among 16 individuals arrested after Selangor police crippled their year-long operation near Kampung Desa Putra here.
Selangor police chief Commissioner Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the cops were allegedly paid between RM1,000 and RM2,000 each in exchange for confidential information pertaining to police crime prevention activities in the area where the syndicate was operating.
“The stolen cables were burned and had their metal extracted, which was then sold to a scrap metal yard in Semenyih by the syndicate for hefty profits of around RM683,000.
“The spoils were then distributed to the members, including the cops, according to their roles,” he said during a press conference at the Sepang police headquarters here.
Several arrests were made during a series of raids conducted between May 19 and 23.
On May 19, a police patrol discovered three suspicious vehicles transporting cables near an oil palm plantation, with two suspects outside and another six inside burning cables to extract the metal within.
Subsequent arrests were made on May 20, 22 and 23. Items seized included machinery and equipment used to extract the cables, as well as vehicles used to transport the stolen items.
The detained police officers comprised three corporals and two sergeants.
Hussein said that of the 16 detained, two were outsourced contractors hired by one of the major utilities companies, who taught syndicate members how to evade system detection and extract the sought-after cables without triggering an alarm.
Hussein urged the public to immediately report any suspicious activities involving cable theft and to refrain from engaging in any transactions involving stolen cables.
“Cable theft is not only a crime but also threatens the safety, economy and harmony of the public,” he said.
