Seven suspects arrested in investigation into theft and sabotage of fibre-optic cables

Police arrested seven suspects on the night of Wednesday, September 30, during an investigation into a theft in Santo Boma. According to the Korps Politie Suriname (KPS), there is a connection to the cutting of fibre-optic cables to disable security systems. An eighth suspect is on the run.

Officers from the afdeling Kapitale Delicten (KD, Major Crimes Division) arrested 39-year-old businessman T.S. near the IMS Mall on Ringweg Zuid. According to police, he tried to run away when he saw the officers, after which a warning shot was fired.

Earlier, officers had spotted a grey Isuzu D-Max in central Paramaribo. According to police, the pick-up displayed specific characteristics of a vehicle captured on camera footage during a theft on Dordongenstraat in Santo Boma. That theft took place on the night of Saturday, September 12, into Sunday, September 13. Police followed the vehicle, after which T.S. was arrested.

Six arrests at apartment

Later that night, with support from CIU and RBTM, another six suspects were arrested at an apartment in the vicinity of Satijnvlinderweg. Police suspect that the apartment was being used as a hideout. They are F.P. (36), V.A. (35), G.D. (35), M.D. (36), P.S. (38) and D.D. (32). Three Toyota Vitz vehicles were also seized.

When approaching the apartment, police said they used firearms after F.P. and another suspect, F.A., jumped over a fence and fled into the vegetation. F.P. was nevertheless arrested. F.A. managed to escape and allegedly fired in the direction of several local residents while fleeing. No one was hit.

According to police, V.A. is the manager of the apartment. The arrested P.S. is said to be a detainee who escaped from the sanatorium on Wednesday, September 23, where he was staying because of tuberculosis.

Stolen goods found

During the search of the apartment, police found, among other things, suitcases and clothing that, according to the KPS, had been taken during the theft. In addition, phones, gloves, tools, possible burglary tools and a substance believed to be drugs were seized.

All arrested suspects deny involvement in criminal offences. Police are working to trace F.A.

Link to cut fibre-optic cables

According to the KPS, a joint team of KD, CIU, Recherche Midden and DNV has been investigating thefts of Telesur fibre-optic cables for approximately a month and a half. Several groups of suspects are said to have been arrested earlier in connection with this.

According to police, suspects cut fibre-optic cables in the area before carrying out thefts. This disrupts the internet connection and may cause security cameras and alarm systems that depend on it to fail. The KPS states that the Santo Boma case is also linked to this method.

Police are calling on citizens to remain alert for suspicious activity near masts to which fibre-optic cables are attached, particularly during the night and early morning.