EDITORIAL - Crack down on the fences

By law, prison awaits those who buy stolen items. Since 1979, the country has had a law against fencing: Presidential Decree 1612. Republic Act 7832 was also passed in 1994, which penalizes the pilferage or theft of electricity and power transmission lines with imprisonment ranging from six to 20 years, fines from P50,000 to P100,000 or both penalties.

Yet thieves continue to steal power transmission lines, causing disruptions in electricity service and adding to power costs. The theft has continued even during the pandemic lockdowns. The Manila Electric Co. said this week that from 2020 to October this year, there were 457 cases of power cables damaged because the copper wires were stolen, mostly in Metro Manila. Meralco said 106 of the cases led to power interruptions that took an average of several hours to restore. Eight cases caused injuries and even death.

A kilo of copper wire reportedly can be sold for P280 to junk shops, which resell the metal at a much higher price especially if the buyers are overseas.

In August 2007 for example, police seized 4.6 tons of stolen copper wire from the TPT Junkshop in Valenzuela City. Police arrested warehouse owner Jimmy Go, three other Chinese-Filipinos and at least eight Chinese nationals. Police said the copper wires were molded into copper rods and exported to China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. The copper can be processed into high-grade tubing for electronic appliances or used in minting coins.

Electric wires aren’t the only items being stolen. Communication cables are also being taken, disrupting services. Burglars also steal aluminum items, including ladders and kitchenware. Such items will not be favored by thieves if they didn’t fetch a good price from fences.

Surely it’s no coincidence that theft of auto parts is high in areas near hubs selling those items both used and brand-new. People have also been mugged and even killed over cell phones and laptops, many of which are sold to fences. A department store within Manila’s University Belt was once ordered shut down because of the high number of stalls reported to be selling “hot” cell phones, computers and other items.

If authorities want to stop such thievery, they should go after those who make the most profits from the criminal activity – those who buy stolen items and resell the materials at much higher prices.