The Fiji Commissioner Western Colonel, Joeil Cawaki, has called on the government to regulate the scrap metal industry in the country after a string of cable line thefts from the country’s railway lines.

The thefts, which have been increasing in the western division specifically, are occuring because people are simply finding any source of metal they can to steal and sell on to scrap merchants as the prices of metals like copper continues to rise.

Cawaki argues that the lack of regulation is what is leading people to steal, as there are no consequences unless caught and scrap metal mechants will purchase the metal regardless.

Last week police arrested some men from Ba, Nadi and Rakiraki alleged to have stolen Telecom line cables.

Meanwhile in Suva, Telecom Fiji, Police and the military have set up a taskforce to monitor people collecting and selling scrap metal.