Digicel's perennial problem of stolen fuel from its cell tower sites has abated 66 per cent, the company said, months after it chose to go green - using a colour-coded dye as a unique identifying marker.

Ten persons have been arrested and charged.

The Irish company, up to six months ago was losing over 9,000 gallons of fuel at a cost of $3 million per month. Donovan Betancourt, head of facilities management and emergency services, said those losses are down to 3,000 gallons monthly, with increasing reports in Manchester.

"Dyeing the fuel has worked wonders for us," Betancourt said.

"We have also installed surveillance cameras and alarms on particular sites and this has been a significant contributor to our success."

Digicel uses special strips to detect trace elements of the dye, should anyone try to dilute the fuel, and has spent almost J$5 million so far on collaborations with the police and community members to dissuade thefts.

The company, market leader in the mobile market at more than 70 per cent share, has 1,200 cell sites nationwide.

"With the fuel having a uniform colour, it could not be differentiated from any other, so dyeing it has not only made things easier for us, it makes the job of the police easier as well," Betancourt said.

The arrests were in St Mary, two in St Catherine, Portland and St Ann.

mark.titus@gleanerjm.com