Police in Taiwan have arrested two suspects accused of stealing utility cables from a mountainous area, cutting off telecommunications for an entire village. The thieves allegedly sold the copper wiring for cash to support their drug addiction.
The suspects, whose identities have not been released, were caught red-handed after authorities set up a sting operation following a string of thefts. The stolen cables were worth only a few tens of thousands of dollars, but the damage left residents without phone or internet service for days.
Investigators said the pair targeted remote mountain areas where the cables were less likely to be noticed missing. They would cut the lines, strip the copper, and sell it to scrap metal dealers. The arrests came after a tip-off from a local resident.
Both suspects are in custody and face charges of theft and disrupting public utilities. Police warn that such crimes not only cause inconvenience but also pose serious safety risks.