KOTA KINABALU: A man who is believed to be mentally challenged and was reportedly abducted during a car-hijacking incident in Kolombong has been found unharmed about three hours later in Lido, Penampang.
The incident reportedly happened around 11.30 am when the 24-year-old victim was sitting in the front passenger seat of the Toyota Liteace van in Kolombong while waiting for his 66-year-old father, who had parked the vehicle by the roadside to go to a hardware store.
As his son was inside the vehicle, the father did not bother to switch off the van’s engine and left the door unlocked.
About five minutes later, when the father came out of the hardware store, he found the van and his son missing. He immediately informed his employer of the incident and lodged a police report.
Meanwhile, city police chief, ACP M. Chandra, confirmed the abduction incident and said the victim was found unharmed by the roadside at Lido in Penampang at around 2.30 pm on the same day.
“The public actually found the victim by the roadside near Lido and immediately alerted the police. The victim was unharmed but police was unable to locate the stolen vehicle,” Chandra said, adding that the case would be investigated under Section 365/379 A of the Penal Code for abduction and motor vehicle theft respectively.
Chandra is again reminding the public not to leave their vehicle unattended and to lock the doors even if there are people waiting inside to avoid untoward incident.