The Muntinlupa City government warned the public that stealing wires from streetlights is punishable under the law.
It made the warning after Muntinlupa City Department of Disaster Resilience and Management recorded at least four incidents of streetlight wire thefts through their surveillance team at its Command Center.
Last March 21, authorities arrested a man who was stealing wires from a public lamppost along National Road in Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa. Thieves sell the copper wire they get.
The city government noted that some public lampposts across the city do not light up at night. It found out that it was because the wires had been stolen.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi ordered the Muntinlupa City Police Station to augment its patrolling units to deter such incidents and other crimes.
If found guilty of theft of government properties, the city government said offenders may face a penalty of more than six years of imprisonment.
Under Republic Act 10591, which adjusted the penalties and fines under Republic Act 3815, the Revised Penal Code, theft is punishable by “arresto mayor in its minimum and medium periods, if such value does not exceed Five hundred pesos (₱500)” to “prisión mayor in its minimum and medium periods, if the value of the thing stolen is more than One million two hundred thousand pesos (₱1,200,000) but does not exceed Two million two hundred thousand pesos (P2,200,000).”
The Muntinlupa City government urged the public to report theft incidents to their respective barangays, Muntinlupa City Police Station through the hotline 0908-377-0084, or through the city’s Emergency Hotline 137-175.