'Iron Termites': Thieves Steal Public Facilities in Indonesia's Riau Islands

Police in Indonesia's Riau Islands have caught more than 30 people for stealing public facilities over the past three months. The suspects took things like streetlight cables, traffic light parts, and metal manholes from roads and public areas. Officers say the thefts are hurting everyday life and making it harder for businesses to invest in the region. The problem has been nicknamed the 'iron termites' because the thieves target metal objects in public spaces.

The Riau Islands Police chief, Inspector General Asep Safruding, spoke about the problem at a public discussion in Batam on June 23. The event was held with the Police Studies Center of Raja Ali Haji Maritime University (UMRAH). He said the thefts may look like small crimes, but they add up to big damage. 'At a glance, the issue looks simple, but it has a huge impact on the public and regional investment attraction,' he said.

Asep also said that police cannot solve the problem alone. He called for teamwork between police, schools, businesses, and the community. He said smart tools like cameras and sensors should be used to protect public spaces. He also asked industrial estates — large areas where factories and businesses are located — to improve their security systems.

On June 22, the Riau Islands Police set up a new Public Order and Security task force. The group includes security guards, civil defence workers, youth groups, and neighbourhood patrol teams. The task force was created to cut down the number of thefts at public sites. Police also asked citizens to call and report anything suspicious near public facilities.

UMRAH's rector, Agung Dhamar Syakti, said cities should be designed with safety in mind. He explained a method called 'crime prevention through environmental design,' which means making public spaces safer by how they are built and lit. He said the city of Batam needs better CCTV cameras, smarter lighting, and motion sensors. These tools can help catch or scare away criminals before they strike.

Researchers at the university are also studying where stolen goods end up after they are taken. They want to map out the routes thieves use to sell stolen metal. This could help shrink the black market — the illegal buying and selling of stolen goods. The goal is to make it harder for thieves to profit from what they steal.

Several specific theft cases show how bold these criminals have been. On June 15, police arrested a man for allegedly stealing manholes near the Pelita tunnel on June 13 at about 5 a.m. A video recorded by nearby residents went viral online. Police also arrested people who stole steel bars meant for road construction after another viral video appeared.

In March, three separate theft cases shocked the city. On March 20, a suspect climbed a 72-metre-tall transmitter tower and cut 1,680 metres of cable to get the copper inside. Another group damaged a traffic light control box on March 27 and sold the stolen parts, and they had also hit several other intersections around Batam. A third group dug into the ground to steal street lighting cables, and also took an LED spotlight and electrical panel boxes from a port area.