4 Chinese nationals arrested: Stolen Meralco wires recovered

Agents of the Northern-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested four Chinese nationals during a raid in Valenzuela City before dawn yesterday and seized five thousands of kilos of copper wires reportedly pilfered from Meralco transmission lines.

Police identified the suspects as Uy Ching Sang, alias William Uy, 38; Huang Ling Bo, alias Carlos Uy, 37; Shi Shao Wei, alias Wilson Sy, 19; and a certain Shui, 38; all residents of 94 Parada st. in Valenzuela City.

Superintendent Anthony Aberin, Northern-CIDG chief, said the raid on the warehouse on Parada st. was conducted after Meralco liaison officer Bienvenido Quibol sought the assistance of his office on the alleged illegal operation of Valenzuela-based Chinese traders that buy stolen Meralco copper wires.

The Northern-CIDG operatives, led by Senior Inspector Ricky Delelis, augmented by Northern Police District (NPD) cops, armed with a search warrant issued by Quezon City Judge Henri Jean Paul Ingpit, swooped down on the suspects’ warehouse at around 4:10 a.m.

The operation resulted in the seizure of more than 5,000 kilos of copper wires with an estimated value of some P1.7 million and the arrest of the suspects.

Manuel Bajo, Meralco security officer, said the copper wires are sold in junk shops at P350 a kilo.

He added that the traders export the copper wires at a much higher price.

Quibol said the theft of Meralco wires is an everyday occurrence in the North Sector, which includes the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area and parts of Bulacan and Balintawak in Quezon City.

The illegal activity resulted in losses amounting to millions of pesos, apart from causing power disruptions.

Aberin said that power cable theft in Camanava became widespread a few days after typhoon "Milenyo," when a number of Meralco electric posts were down.

"No less than President Arroyo has ordered the arrest of individuals engaged in the pilferage of power lines," Aberin told The STAR.

Aberin said the suspects would be charged with violation of Republic Act (RA) 7832, which is also known as Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Transmission Line/Materials Act.

Apart from violation of RA 7832, Aberin said he would also refer the suspects to the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) because they failed to show any document that would justify their stay in the country and the legality of their business operation.

The suspects, when asked for comment, were hesitant to talk and claimed that they could neither speak nor understand English.