Suspects held for theft of power cables
PREAH Sihanouk provincial police are questioning 17 suspects on the theft of power lines used for street lights which were cut in Bit Traing commune’s Kokir village in Prey Nop district, said provincial police chief Chuon Narin.
Narin told The Post on Monday that the police department received a complaint from Duyral Electronic about power cables being cut along highways in the Poy Machov protected area in Kokir village.
Provincial governor Kouch Chamroeun issued a direct order for a joint force to search for the perpetrators.
Narin said that specialists searched two scrapyards in Sihanoukville and three in Prey Nop district.
“During the operation, police raided two locations, detained 17 suspects and seized evidence in connection to the case,” Narin said.
He said the suspects are trading blames as police try to find out their reasons for allegedly committing the crime.
“Now, the 17 suspects are blaming each other. Selling copper taken from power cables provides only a small benefit. But it affects development because the cables cannot be reconnected easily,” Narin said.
A provincial police report said all 17 suspects are Cambodians. The police detained five suspects at the first scrapyard in Commune V’s Village 4.
The seizure of exhibits included one bag filled with power cables belonging to Duyral Electronic.
Police detained 12 suspects at the second scrapyard in Bit Traing commune amd confiscated 15kg of copper power cables also belonging to the same company at the location.