LINGAYEN – Public utilities in Pangasinan and throughout the country have been asked to go modern technology by replacing their copper-laden cable wires with state-of-the art fiber optics to finally put an end to rampant cable thefts.

The call was made by Police Provincial Director Alan Purisima in the face of the continuous stealing of cable wires that already victimized many times the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and the Digital Communications of the Philippines.

The province of Pangasinan has seen an upsurge of cable thefts the past two years similar to other cases registered in Bataan, Rizal and other parts of the country, including Visayas and Mindanao.

Also victimized by wire thieves were the Dagupan Electric Corporation, several electric cooperatives and also the National Transmission Commission.

Purisima believes that fiber optics, which uses infra-red rays to transmit signals, has much less chance of being stolen than ordinary cable wires.

He said that while the police is doing everything it can to catch and stop the cable thieves, it would also be good for the telecommunication companies to try fiber optics as this cannot be sold as junks.

Purisima admitted however that public utilities may not adopt fiber optics so quickly because of its prohibitive cost as this is still being imported from abroad.

Cable thefts have intensified because copper sells at high price nowadays, Purisima said.

As to the case of other companies that do not use copper wires but are still being victimized by cable thieves, Purisima believes that it is the aluminum being used by the electric companies that the thieves are really after.

Purisima revealed there were several persons already arrested by the police for cable theft but since the offense is bailable, the perpetrators can get out easily and in no time go back to their old unlawful activity.

He maintained that cable thieves have no use for fiber optics, except perhaps as tying material for carabaos and as clothes line.