Complaint lodged over copper strip theft at CBSL

2026-03-02 - 05:19

A stock of copper strips of the lightning conductor installed on the upper floors of 03 buildings belonging to the old 16-storey building complex of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has been stolen, according to the Colombo Fort Police. The stolen copper strips are reported to measure around 288 metres in length, with an estimated value of Rs. 4,103,568. A Director attached to the CBSL’s Management Department has lodged a formal complaint with the Fort Police on Feb. 27 regarding the theft. According to the complaint, the incident is believed to have occurred between Jan. 15 and Feb. 27, 2026. The 03 affected structures are part of the old CBSL building complex, where the lightning conductor had been installed to provide protective coverage across all 03 buildings. Preliminary police investigations indicate that the theft was likely carried out by external individuals rather than internal staff members. It is further reported that a contract had been awarded in March 2025 for the exterior repainting of the old CBSL building. Police suspicion has reportedly centred on labourers who had access to the premises under the painting contract.