(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-20 21:02

Chinese police solved more than 47,000 cases of theft and vandalism of telecom facilities and nabbed over 40,000 suspects in its six-month campaign launched in June this year.

Police confiscated illegal gains worth about 140 million yuan ($18.7 million) and broke up 2,500 criminal gangs during the same period, the Ministry of Public Security said here on Thursday.

To protect its telecom facilities, China launched a six-month campaign in response to widespread vandalism and theft.

"The campaign has helped to curb the rise in cases of theft and vandalism of telecom facilities," said the ministry on its website.

Ministry statistics showed that the number of theft and vandalism cases in November dropped 21 percent compared with June, while economic losses decreased 32 percent.

Electricity, telecom and broadcasting facilities are vital components of the country's social infrastructure and public services. However, they are threatened by people driven by high economic return, vice-minister of Public Security Liu Jinguo said earlier this year.

The price of copper, from which the cables and wires are made, has sharply increased in recent years. This had led to an increase in theft at these facilities.

In addition, lax regulations among metal buyers, where thieves dispose or sell stolen cables and wire, have also contributed to the rising number of such crimes, the vice minister said.

In the latest campaign, 10,000 illegal metal purchasing stations were closed.