Protecting Utility Infrastructure on Your Property

Electrical cable theft in Trinidad targets infrastructure rather than portable valuables — and the losses can exceed the cost of everything else in the home combined. In March 2026, former president Anthony Carmona reported that thieves stole approximately $180,000 worth of electrical cables from his country property in Siparia at around 10 AM, removing roughly 220 metres of heavy XLP cable that ran underground from the meter system to the house. The perpetrators broke through the concrete covering to access and cut the buried cables before removing them. The theft occurred in daylight, when the property was unoccupied, indicating prior knowledge of both the infrastructure layout and the likely absence of the owner. Underground utility cables are high-value targets precisely because they are out of sight, rarely checked, and represent a significant replacement cost; the theft of them can render a property unusable for months while replacement is arranged and funded.

Steps to follow:

• Conduct a walk of your property specifically looking at exposed or semi-exposed utility infrastructure: meter boards, cable runs above and below ground, and any conduit that exits a building on the exterior.
• Where cables run underground, ensure all access covers — concrete, PVC, or otherwise — are sealed with fasteners or secured covers that require tools to open; this does not prevent all theft, but it raises the visible effort required and reduces opportunistic access.
• Install a security camera covering the meter board and any visible utility access points on the exterior of the building; even a deterrent-effect camera reduces the likelihood of a prolonged daytime operation on your property.
• Instruct a trusted neighbour, caretaker, or property manager to make periodic physical checks of the premises when you are away, specifically including the exterior and utility access points, not just doors and windows.
• Limit public knowledge of your travel schedule; country and rural properties are more frequently targeted when criminals can confirm the owner is out of the country for an extended period.
• After any confirmed theft of utility infrastructure, report to both police and the utility provider immediately; the provider may require a police report number before authorising repairs, and delays in reporting extend the time your property remains non-functional.