Police Bust ‘Geng Lobo’ Cable Theft Syndicate

ALOR SETAR, March 9 (Bernama) -- Police have crippled a syndicate known as ‘Geng Lobo’, which is believed to have stolen Telekom Malaysia (TM) cables in several states since the middle of last year, with the arrest of five suspects in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, on Feb 9.

Kota Setar police chief ACP Syed Basri Syed Ali said the syndicate leader known by the nickname ‘Lobo’, along with four accomplices aged between 30 and 62, were arrested during a raid on a house in Taman Tasek Gelugor.

“Investigations found that the group targets manholes identified to contain telecommunication cable networks in secluded areas. They used four-wheel-drive vehicles to pull the cables out of the manholes before selling them to a scrap metal premises in Sungai Petani,” he told reporters here today.

According to him, the group’s modus operandi was to use metal detectors to locate underground cables before cutting and stealing them using specialised equipment.

He said investigations found that all the suspects are unemployed and drug addicts, while the 62-year-old man was believed to have acted as the buyer of stolen cables from the gang.

Syed Basri said the syndicate was believed to be involved in at least 27 criminal cases, namely Kedah with eight cases, Perlis (one), Penang (six), Perak (three), Johor (three), Melaka (two), Negeri Sembilan (three) and Kuala Lumpur (one).

Of the total, 25 cases involved cable theft, while one case each involved theft of vehicle components and obstructing a public servant.

“The case is being investigated under sections 431A and 411 of the Penal Code. Investigations are being carried out to determine whether the group was involved in other criminal cases,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, police also arrested six suspected ‘Geng Man Che Lah’ members aged between 25 and 35 who are believed to have stolen telecommunication cables around Kota Setar.

He said all the suspects were arrested during a raid at an unnumbered house in Taman Orkid, Simpang Empat near here at about 2 am yesterday.

He added that the group is suspected of being involved in eight criminal cases, namely seven cases of cable theft and one case of housebreaking and vehicle theft in the district.

-- BERNAMA