Thieves Wield Powers of Darkness

As if protracted winter power cuts were not enough, Kyrgyzstan’s benighted national grid is suffering from the depradations of thieves.

Thieves Wield Powers of Darkness

As if protracted winter power cuts were not enough, Kyrgyzstan’s benighted national grid is suffering from the depradations of thieves.

Tuesday, 21 April, 2009
IWPR

IWPR

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

Reporter Eleonora Mambetshakirova visited the village of Bakay-Ata, where transformer equipment has been stolen from local substations not once, but five times.



Ironically, the thefts regularly take place overnight, when the power is switched off all over the village and no light will be shed on the crime. The thieves seem to know what they are doing and how to dispose of this kind of bulky, specialised technology.



Severelektro, the distribution company for northern Kyrgyzstan, has suffered nine such thefts in recent months, and says it cannot keep on incurring losses of costly equipment like this.

Kyrgyzstan
Frontline Updates
Support local journalists