Bekasi Residents Struggle to Get Cellular Signal; Turns Out BTS Cables Were Stolen.

Jakarta –

A man with the initials MI was arrested for allegedly stealing cables from a base transceiver station (BTS) tower in Pekayon Jaya, South Bekasi District, Bekasi City. MI was caught by residents while trying to cut BTS cables again.

The Metro Bekasi City Police Chief stated that the suspect infiltrated the BTS tower area owned by a telecommunications company in the Pekayon Jaya area. After entering the location, the suspect dug up and cut several cables in the tower area.

“The suspect managed to cut three cables, each about 135 meters long. When he was about to cut the fourth cable, his actions were noticed by residents because his activity in the early morning was considered suspicious,” said the Police Chief on Thursday (4/6/2026).

Initially, suspicious residents reported the incident to police officers. Shortly after, the suspect was detained at the scene along with evidence of the theft.

The theft was uncovered on Friday (20/3) around 01:30 AM local time. From the investigation, the suspect admitted that this was not his first such act. MI confessed to having previously stolen cables in the Bekasi Regency area.

As a result of the theft, services from one telecommunications operator experienced disruptions. Police received reports of public complaints regarding signal loss in several areas of South Bekasi after the BTS cables were cut.

The Police Chief emphasized that the suspect’s actions not only caused material losses to the company but also impacted communication services used by the public.

For his actions, the suspect is charged with aggravated theft as stipulated in Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP), carrying a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

The Metro Bekasi City Police urge the public to immediately report to the police if they notice any suspicious activity around public facilities or vital infrastructure to prevent similar criminal acts.