Nilai police chief Johari Yahya said the suspects, aged between 30 and 40, were detained at several locations, including the scene and their homes, between 7.25pm yesterday and 3am today.

He said police were alerted to the break-in at 7.17pm yesterday.

“Checks at the location found that the caging door of the Remote Radio Unit (RRU) belonging to a telecommunications company had been forced open, and several pieces of equipment had gone missing, believed stolen.

“Police seized several units of telecommunications equipment as well as various tools believed to have been used to commit the crime, in addition to vehicles used by the suspects,” he said in a statement here today.

Johari said initial investigations found that the group acted in a planned manner to steal equipment components from the substation for sale in the scrap metal market.

He said most of the suspects have criminal records, including theft, robbery and offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

According to him, all suspects were brought to the Seremban magistrates’ court today for remand applications, and the case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code.

Police have not ruled out the possibility that the group was also involved in several other theft cases in the Nilai area.

Members of the public with information are urged to come forward to assist investigations by contacting the Nilai district police headquarters at 06-7904222 or the nearest police station.