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Subjects Caught in the Act for Wood Theft in San José de la Mariquina

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• Two individuals were apprehended by the PDI while illegally extracting wood from a forest property, now facing justice.

In an operation carried out by the Investigative Police (PDI), two people were caught and detained while stealing wood from the forest property "Dollinco Bajo 2" in the Los Ríos region. The subjects, both of Chilean nationality, were arrested as they were loading the loot onto a high-tonnage truck, intending to transport it to the city of San José.

Subprefect Cristian Muñoz reported that detectives proceeded to arrest the individuals in flagrante delicto, who, upon inspection, could not present any documentation justifying the wood extraction. The swift police action prevented the accused from completing their plan and causing further damage to the area's forest heritage.

The detainees, who have no prior arrest records, were caught with three cubic meters of eucalyptus, valued at over 8.5 million pesos. Along with the wood, a truck and a chainsaw—tools used to commit the crime—were confiscated.

This Thursday, the subjects were presented before the San José de la Mariquina Guarantee Court, where they faced charges for their criminal conduct. The incident has raised concerns among forest property owners and authorities, who have reiterated the importance of surveillance and reporting to prevent such crimes that threaten natural resources and the local economy.

The PDI continues investigations to determine if more individuals are involved in the wood theft chain and to establish possible connections with other similar crimes in the region. Citizen collaboration is essential to combat the illegal extraction of forest resources—a crime that not only affects property owners but also the environment and the community's sustainable development.