Electricity stolen for bitcoin mining in Buri Ram

BURI RAM: Police on Sunday searched a commercial building in Nang Rong district where electricity was suspected to have been stolen to operate bitcoin mining.

Armed with a warrant from the Nang Rong Court, the police searched the two storey-building with two shop fronts at the request of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). 

The PEA had been informed that electricity had been stolen with cables wired directly from the main power transmission lines for use in the building for nine months, causing about 1 million baht in losses.

The search was witnessed by PEA officials and representatives of the owner of the building. The building had been rented to a tenant, but nobody was there during the search.

Cable wires were found to have been connected from the main power transmission lines to two rooms on the second floor.

In one room, the police found about 60 computers, a power control box, a WiFi router for internet connection and a closed-circuit television camera. Computer boxes were found in the other room.

The equipment, believed to have been used for cryptocurrency mining, was taken to Nang Rong police station for use as evidence.

The tenant would be summonsed for questioning to find the culprits in the theft.