LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Police authorities must coordinate closely with owners of local junk shops for possible arrest of cable and wire thieves operating in the province.

Board Member Danilo Uy made the call on the provincial police command through a resolution he filed before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan after noting an escalation in cases of theft of electrical and cable wires, which oftentimes disrupt the services of the affected public utilities.

“With the police working closely with junk shop owners, persons responsible for the theft of cable and electrical wires will be deprived of their market,” he said.

Uy asked the police authorities to keep a tight watch on junk shop owners who may be liable for violation of the anti-fencing law if they refuse to cooperate.

Augusto Sarmiento, operations manager of the Dagupan Electric Corporation (Decorp), has reported an increase lately in cases of electrical wire theft notably in Dagupan City.

He said the ground wires being stolen are needed to protect the public from getting electrically grounded if they happen to get near electric posts.

The wires which are made of copper fetch a good price in the market.

Aside from Decorp, the major telephone companies operating in the province like PLDT and Digitel have been the victims of cable thieves. (PIO/Jennifer Domantay)