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‘Stealing wires from downed poles only prolong recovery’
Department of Public Safety Commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero urged the public yesterday to immediately report any incidents of thieves stealing copper wires from downed Commonwealth Utilities Corp. power poles.
“Stealing copper wires from downed power poles will do nothing more than prolong the CNMI’s recovery efforts,” Deleon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune.
The commissioner said these wires are specialized in nature and may be difficult to procure locally, which mean a longer waiting period for the entire community to receive power from CUC if supplies are limited.
“I urge anyone with information as to who’s responsible for these type of thefts to report it to the police immediately,” he said.
Lastly, Deleon Guerrero said, if there are recycling vendors out there who are supporting this type of behavior and people are aware of it, people should report them as well.
Saipan Tribune learned that a few days after Typhoon Soudelor pummeled Saipan, three men were seen cutting copper wires from downed CUC poles near Hardt Eye Clinic in Garapan.
When a concerned citizen confronted them about stealing copper wires, one of the three replied that they’re selling them to buy food because they’re hungry.
