On Tuesday 30 December 2025, police arrested a 49-year-old man, EM, on a football field on Jalan Camat Raya in Bekasi City. He was one of three suspects in the theft of about 30 metres of power cable in Pekojan, Tambora, West Jakarta. His accomplices AP (46) and N (41) were picked up the same day in Duren Sawit. Suara Surabaya reported on 7 January 2026 that the three wore helmets and work gear to pass as PLN staff so that residents would not get suspicious. Police also said N was a former PLN technician.
Their target was cable at a substation, not anyone's home. What homeowners should take from it is what the disguise consisted of: a helmet and work gear that anybody can buy. So a uniform on its own proves nothing.
How Does It Work When the Target Is a House?
Surabaya police broke up a case that targeted homes directly. In a case reported in April 2018, four suspects arrived in uniforms resembling the water company's, carrying meter-testing tools. Some checked the meter while others kept the occupant talking, and one slipped inside and forced a wardrobe. Jewellery and cash worth up to tens of millions of rupiah went missing. "Most of the victims were domestic workers," said AKBP Sudamiran, then head of criminal investigations.
Garut police handled the internet version in 2023. The suspects posed as XL Home technicians, showed fake ID cards and demanded a service renewal fee. Customers who had not paid saw their equipment carried off. Six homes were visited, with losses of about Rp14 million falling on the service companies.
The two cases happened in different cities and years, but the sequence matches: an official look gets the door open, then the occupant is kept busy or confused. Garut adds a second lesson, because the ID card was fake as well. The most useful check is therefore to contact the company directly. We found no 2026 report of this door-to-door scheme in Bekasi City housing estates. We use these cases as examples of a pattern, and they do not show a wave of cases in Bekasi.
What Do Genuine Staff Always Carry?
The benchmark comes from PLN itself. PLN Banten general manager Abdul Mukhlis, quoted by RRI on 30 April 2024, listed three things: a company assignment letter stating the officer's details and the purpose of the visit, an ID badge, and a tidy uniform with protective equipment. He added that staff do not ask for payment on the spot, in cash or by transfer, and do not accept tips.
On entering homes, PLN Greater Jakarta general manager Lasiran drew a clear line for P2TL inspections (PLN's checks for electricity misuse). Staff check "only as far as the kWh meter, and do not enter the house," he told Listrik Indonesia on 27 January 2024. That statement came from the Jakarta unit, but Bekasi residents can fairly ask the same thing: why does the officer need to come in if the meter is outside?
5 Checks Before You Open the Door
- Talk through the gate. Ask for a name, the company and the reason for the visit. Keep the door and gate locked while you do. There is no need to be rude; treat it like any other visitor.
- Ask for the assignment letter and photograph it. Photograph the letter and the ID from a safe distance. If they object, treat that as a reason to check further.
- Call the official channel, not a number they give you. The number on the letter could belong to a friend. Use the PLN Mobile app or PLN's 123 contact centre, the number on your water bill, or your internet provider's app. Ask whether a visit to your address is scheduled today. If the channel cannot confirm it, ask the person to come back once it can.
- No payment on the spot. A bill, fine or renewal fee that must be paid right now to a personal account is the strongest warning sign you will get.
- If they must come in, stay with them and lock other doors. The Surabaya scheme needed one person to create a distraction. If two people arrive, keep both in sight.
| Who turns up | Where to check | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|
| PLN staff | PLN Mobile or 123 | Asks to come inside to check an outdoor meter, insists you buy a particular product, wants payment on the spot |
| Water company staff | Number on your water bill | No report or schedule on record, arrives when someone is home alone, asks to enter bedrooms |
| Internet technician | Provider's app or customer service | Collects a renewal fee on site, takes away the modem or router |
Who Most Needs to Hear This?
The people who most need to know are the ones at home while you work. In the Surabaya case, police said most victims were domestic workers who did not know about this scheme. Elderly parents and teenagers at home should hear it too. One rule is enough: anyone claiming to be an officer waits outside until the owner has been contacted. Stick your number and the guard post's number near the door.
If your cluster has a guard post, ask the guards to call the owner before walking any officer to a unit. A photo of the assignment letter taken at the post helps if a problem comes up later. Our article on video doorbells in one-gate clusters covers checking visitors without opening the door.
What If They Turn Out to Be Genuine?
Many visits are real, so there is no need to assume the worst. Hukumonline's legal clinic advises customers to stay with the officer until the inspection ends, ask for the results to be explained, and read the inspection report carefully before signing. A meter violation finding gets settled at a PLN service office, not on your porch.
What If They Already Got In, or You Already Paid?
If you are alone in the house, do not confront them. Go out to a neighbour or the guard post and call 110. Then collect photos, CCTV footage and transfer receipts. Indonesia's new penal code has applied since 2 January 2026. Article 257(2) of Law 1/2023 treats entering with a false order or fake official uniform as forced entry, with up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to Rp10 million. In our reading an imitation PLN or water company uniform can fall under this, but that is for investigators to judge. If something was taken, Article 477(1)(f) covers theft using a fake official uniform, with up to 7 years in prison or a fine of up to Rp500 million. If money or goods were handed over because of a false position, Article 492 on fraud carries up to 4 years in prison or a fine of up to Rp500 million. If the officer was genuine PLN staff but you suspect an improper charge, report that through PLN Mobile as well.
Common Questions
Can I refuse someone who says they are from PLN?
Yes, if they cannot show ID and an official assignment letter. Hukumonline says customers may refuse in that case. In our view, keeping someone outside the house is not yet obstructing an inspection, because you can verify through PLN Mobile while still watching.
Do PLN staff need to come inside the house?
For P2TL meter inspections, PLN Greater Jakarta general manager Lasiran said staff check only as far as the kWh meter and do not enter the house. If someone asks to come in, ask why and check with the official channel first.
Is it normal to pay a PLN officer on the spot?
No. PLN Banten general manager Abdul Mukhlis said official staff do not ask for payment on the spot, in cash or by transfer, and do not accept tips. Service payments follow what the PLN Mobile app shows.
What is the legal risk for someone entering in a fake uniform?
Article 257(2) of Law 1/2023 treats entering in a fake official uniform as forced entry, with up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to Rp10 million. Whether a given uniform counts is for investigators to judge. If they obtain money or goods through a false position, Article 492 on fraud carries up to 4 years.
Comparing new clusters?
Ask the Kingspoint team how the guard post handles guests and service staff before you decide.
Ask on WhatsAppReferences: Suara Surabaya, 7 Jan 2026 (Tambora police) and 9 Apr 2018 (Surabaya police); Selular.id, 27 Nov 2023 (Garut police); RRI, 30 Apr 2024 (PLN Banten); Listrik Indonesia, 27 Jan 2024 (PLN Greater Jakarta); Hukumonline legal clinic, 6 Jan 2016; Law 1/2023 Articles 79, 257, 477, 492. This article is general information, not legal advice.