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High-speed train project under scrutiny after reported theft of construction materials
Five people believed to have stolen 111 tons of steel beams have been caught, though seven other suspects remain at large.
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Workers arrange equipment in front of a large tunnel built for a high-speed railway in Tunnel 8, Padalarang, West Bandung regency, West Java, on Feb. 21, 2019. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
C
onstruction of the long-awaited Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project has hit another speed bump after it was revealed that more than 100 tons of steel beams had been stolen over the last six months.
The theft was first uncovered on Oct. 30 after security officials from the project’s construction site in Cipinang Melayu subdistrict, East Jakarta, as well as local residents, caught the alleged thieves as they were loading the steel beams onto a pick-up truck.
The steel beams were later identified as belonging to state-owned construction firm PT Wijaya Karya, the constructor of the project.
Upon being discovered, the alleged thieves fled the scene, leaving their truck behind. The police were able to track down and detain five of them on Nov. 3, antaranews.com reported, while an additional seven are still at large.
The police said the group had stolen and sold 111 tons of steel over the last six months, resulting in an estimated loss of Rp 1 billion (US70,210). If found guilty, they could face up to seven years in prison.
East Jakarta police chief Sr. Comr. Erwin Kurniawan said the police will gather testimonies from Wijaya Karya to investigate possible links between the firm’s employees and the suspects.
“There are indications [that Wijaya Karya employees] working on-site [may be involved]. We will continue our investigation to identify all parties involved,” Erwin said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.
