A man was apprehended after he was allegedly found with a wire cutter at the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, as police investigate the theft of approximately 90 feet of copper cables valued at more than $1.6 million.
The Guyana Police Force said the theft has left the LED lighting system on the bridge without power and is believed to have occurred sometime between midnight on August 23 and the early morning of September 1, 2026.
According to police, the bridge is equipped with LED lights mounted on steel poles along its high span. The lights, powered by a generator beneath the bridge, are capable of displaying various colours and were last known to be operational on August 23.
The theft was discovered on Monday night when an electrical maintenance engineer and his team attempted to illuminate the bridge in the colours of Trinidad and Tobago’s national flag in observance of that country’s Independence Anniversary.
While the lights on the northern side of the bridge were functioning, those on the southern side failed to come on.
An inspection of the southern section subsequently revealed that copper cables had been cut and removed from a metal trunking box.
The matter was reported to the Providence Police Station, prompting detectives to visit and process the scene.
Police said the scene was photographed and processed, while CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed as investigations continue.
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