Besides the tilt meter, some radio transmission cable connectors were also damaged when device had been removed forcefully.Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - A tilt meter worth 125 million rupiahs at mount Bromo was reported to be missing and suspected to have been stolen, an official said here Tuesday.
The device that was installed on Bromo`s caldera or the sand fields (forbidden area within one kilometer radius) to detect the volcano`s early activities, was reported missing on March 25, the Head of Earthquake and Geological Hazard Mitigation of the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre (PVMBG) I Gede Suantika said.
"Local police are now investigating the case," Gede said.
Besides the tilt meter, some radio transmission cable connectors were also damaged when device had been removed forcefully.
According to Gede it appeared that there were more than one thief, because it took more than one person and special tools to remove the special apparatus.
"I reckon the thieves understood the device`s utility, whereas not many people know the purpose of the device," he said.
Gede merely said that the device is very useful to measure a building`s structure.
Although the Bromo tilt meter has gone, the volcano`s activities can still be monitored regularly as the agency still has other volcano detectors and sensors.
"The missing tilt meter does not affect mount Bromo`s monitoring activities too much, in fact the agency is willing to replace it with a new one in near future.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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