Minas Gerais is the 4th state with the most theft or theft of telecommunications cables

Minas Gerais is the fourth state that suffered most from theft and theft of telecommunications cables in 2023. In total, 505,541 meters were taken in criminal actions — a 19% reduction compared to 2022 —, according to Conexis Brasil Digital, an entity that brings together companies in the sector. The volume of cables removed across the country increased by 15% — rising from 4.7 million meters to 5.4 million. The impacts are in different areas and directly affect users.

Even though it is among the five states with the most thefts of telecommunications cables in the country, the reduction in criminal practice in Minas Gerais is due, according to Aluízio Weber, infrastructure coordinator at Conexis Brasil Digital, to the coordination carried out with public authorities. “Minas, Paraná and Rio de Janeiro have been showing declines and we attribute this to the work of operators and Conexis together with the security departments. We have formed working groups that have worked directly on this issue.”

In addition to the State Secretariat of Justice and Public Security (Sejusp-MG), the working group headed by Conexis works with the Military and Civil police. “We collect georeferenced data and identify the locations with the highest number of thefts and pass them on to the intelligence area so that the best strategy to combat crime can be devised.”

See the list of the five states with the most stolen/stolen telecommunications cables in meters:

• São Paulo – 1,450 million – increase of 40%
• Paraná – 955 thousand – drop of 6%
• Bahia – 635,757 thousand – increase of 166%
• Minas Gerais – 505,541 thousand – drop of 19%
• Rio Grande do Sul – 368,769 thousand – increase of 20%

Punishment

Aluízio Weber highlights that to combat the crime of theft of telecommunications cables it is necessary to approve bills that increase penalties. Therefore, coordinated action between the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary powers is necessary, at all levels — federal, state and municipal. “We are looking for laws that more adequately classify robbery and theft. In addition to legislation that prevents the reception of material”, he ponders.

Many of the stolen cables have copper as their main attraction, given the market value. In Belo Horizonte, the city hall, through BHTrans, replaced the electrical power cables of some of the city’s traffic lights with unattractive wires precisely to combat cable theft.

“The exchanges took place in places with the highest rates of theft. PBH also clarifies that several points in the city are not targets for theft, therefore, not justifying the expense of the exchange. After the start of work, so far, the replacement of cables reduced thefts by around 80%”, explained the municipal Executive in a note.

Impacts

Journalist Paola Siman Carvalho, aged 26, works on a hybrid basis and, consequently, needs to use the internet service at home. She comments that she has been in trouble several times due to the theft of telecommunications cables in the JK neighborhood, in Contagem, in Greater BH.

“Cable theft is very complicated and causes enormous inconvenience. I was without internet for three days recently and had to go to my sister’s house to get work. I even thought once that this was a problem with the operator and I changed it, but I realized that everyone ends up being victims of criminals. There’s no way to escape,” he says.

The constant occurrences make Paola tense when she has to work from home. “Occurrences of cable theft cause the interruption of my internet. Everyone is somewhat dependent on the internet. It is an essential service. Because of the constant occurrences, when I am working from home, I feel tense about the possibility of the service being interrupted Any instability is enough to make me anxious, afraid that the service will stop completely and leave me in the lurch”, he ponders.

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