Subjects sabotaged train braking system in Lota: Acoforag condemns attack and timber theft

The company Transap -Transporte Ferroviario Andrés Pirazzoli S.A- filed a complaint for attack on railway equipment and forceful theft, following cuts to the braking system and the theft of timber in Lota, Biobío region.

The Association of Forestry Contractors hopes that the current Government does not relax measures, especially when the criminal phenomenon affects freight transport outside the Southern Macrozona.

The legal action was filed by the railway company Transap S.A for events recorded in Lota, where criminals tampered with the convoy's braking system, in addition to stealing timber from the cars.

According to the complaint, already accepted for processing and whose background information was sent to the Prosecutor's Office, it recounts that on April 7, while the train composed of 24 forestry cars loaded with timber was moving through the Bannen sector, "a group of subjects carried out deliberate acts of sabotage, consisting of breaking an air hose of the car's braking system, as well as closing the angular brake valve."

As a result of the above, "the emergency braking system was activated, causing the immediate stop of the train on the railway track," where "taking advantage of the forced stop of the convoy, eight individuals boarded the cars and stole various logs of timber, to transport and take them into a property located in the same sector," the legal action adds.

But this is not the only incident, as a similar crime occurred in the same sector on April 9.

The manager of the Association of Forestry Contractors, René Muñoz, stated that the complaint is on the right track and corresponds to a variant of timber theft outside the so-called Southern Macrozona, as it affects the interests of the industry as a whole. "When facing a problem like timber theft, which has been affecting the sector for years, it is necessary to address it comprehensively. This crime not only occurs in the forest but also extends to transport, so both dimensions are closely related.

Therefore, it is essential to use all available tools, both by the private parties transporting the timber and by the State, to identify those responsible, stop them, and bring them to justice. Forestry production cannot be separated from transport: it is all part of the same chain and must be confronted in a coordinated manner," he affirmed.

In turn, the leader added that "a crime must be confronted thoroughly, whether in the forest, during transport, or wherever it occurs.

We have high expectations, because that is how it was presented during the campaign. Today, already in government, the first thing we want to know are the concrete measures. There has been talk of adjusting or reducing the state of emergency over time, but the question is clear: what is the alternative? What is proposed to confront this problem effectively?"

The company seeks for the Prosecutor's Office to investigate both episodes, with Transap accusing the crimes of Attack on railway rolling stock, forceful theft, larceny, and receiving stolen goods.

Source:BiobioChile