According to the Civil Police, around 12 criminals entered the Colégio subway power substation, in the North Zone of Rio, in the early hours of Tuesday (14/05). They allegedly took four employees hostages, who were kept for at least four hours locked inside the building, located at the entrance to the Para-Pedro community. Their objective was to steal valuable cables. Police estimate that around 80 meters of cable, valued at R$72,000, were stolen. MetrôRio states that the stolen material is double the estimated amount. As a result, at least 16 stations on Line 2 were closed in the morning and only returned to normal at 6:25.
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Boardings Carried Out
The service was interrupted. MetrôRIo reported that the daily boarding average for the period between 05:00 and 06:20 is 30,000 boardings at stations in this station, which connects the North Zone to the South Zone. Of these, Pavuna is the one that records the largest flow of passengers in this period, with 12,000 accesses.
Energy Substation
The Colégio substation, where the cable theft took place, is just over 300 meters from the metro station, at the beginning of the Para-Pedro community, where the Military Police carried out an emergency operation to locate those involved.
Another One in Glória
Suspected of the theft of 300kg of copper wires, four men and one woman were arrested on Tuesday (15/05) morning in front of Praça Paris, in Glória, in the South Zone of Rio. According to Light (electricity concessionaire), there was an attempted theft during cable maintenance in the region.
Increase in Thefts
Cable thefts extend throughout the South Zone of Rio. According to Cet-Rio, from January to April 2023, 545 meters of cable were stolen. However, in the same period this year, in addition to 515 meters of cable, a traffic signal controller — equipment that makes the traffic signal operate — was also taken by criminals.
In the South Zone, from January to April 2023, only three were registered, while in the same period this year, the number rose to 20.
Analysis:
Recent incidents of cable theft in Rio de Janeiro, especially in the North and South zones of the city, represent a worrying escalation of crimes that affect critical infrastructure, such as the public transport system and energy supply. The direct impact on subway operations, as evidenced by the closure of stations on Line 2 due to theft at the subway power substation, demonstrates the vulnerability of this infrastructure to these types of crimes.
With the price of copper reaching its predicted high for 2024, related actions, such as robberies and thefts of this metal, are expected to increase. Copper has been increasingly valued due to its importance in several key technologies and industries, including electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy infrastructure. The transition to cleaner, renewable energy sources further increases demand for this metal.
