KULOB, November 28, Asia-Plus - Six minors aged 10 to 15 have been detained by Kulob police on suspicion of having stolen 100 meters of telephone cable.

Bakhtiyor Qalandarov, chief of the criminal investigation squad within the Kulob police directorate, said in an interview with Asia-Plus that the preliminary investigation had established that the stolen cable had been smelted into copper wire and sold to the point for accepting non-ferrous metals at rate from 1.00 to 12.00 somonis per kilogram.  According to him, the only punishment facing the minors is to be registered with local police.  

Qalandarov noted that theft of cable seriously affects telecommunications services provided by the fixed-line operator in Kulob.  “At present we are seeking persons having been involved in theft of cable, as a result of which 200 customers of the fixed-line operator in Kulob have been left without communications,” Qalandarov said.  

In all, according to him, 20 difficult minors have to date been registered with the Kulob police directorate.