Kuala Lampur, Oct. 21 -- I walked past a motorcycle workshop the other day and saw it had chained the grates over the nearby drains.

Makes sense, I thought, and kept walking.

Years ago, someone had stolen the grate cover in front of my gate, which had my brother fall right into the drain in the dark.

Nothing was safe if it was made from metal in those days but now instead of plundering scrap metal, thieves are risking electrocution for a risky payload with a huge payoff.

I hear talk they're trying to stop cable theft by increasing penalties but let me ask you this - when have penalties ever stopped people when the reward is bigger than the risk?

It makes me sad sometimes (or maybe I've just been successfully indoctrinated by all the ...