Two men caught stealing meters of electric wires yesterday in barangay Dampas, this city are now locked up in jail and facing charges of theft.

The increasing incidents of theft of electrical wires victimizing residents and the lighting system connections in the city have alarmed authorities recently. The city's Task Force and Monitoring Team have been on 24-hour operations to clamp down on electric wire thieves.

The wires, coveted for its copper content, are mostly sold to junk shops.

Yesterday at 10 a.m., members of the City PNP and the City Task Force arrested Jason Basalo, single and resident of barangay Timbagan, Maribojoc and Arnel Garcia, single and resident of Tagustusan, Balilihan in barangay Dampas.

The suspects, who are both jobless, were positively identified by residents in Sitio Karaw-an, Dampas as the ones who were seen stealing electric wires from electric posts.

Several wires were recovered from the two suspects during the arrest.