Public helps man foil car thieves at hospital parking lot

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The suspect being led to the Central Police Station for questioning.

MIRI: A man’s visit to Miri Hospital on Sunday to fetch his wife and their newborn child ended with him fighting off three individuals who attempted to steal his vehicle.

The 30-something man had gone to check on his four-wheel drive vehicle at the hospital’s parking lot around 11am when he saw three unknown men trying to force open the vehicle’s door.

“I had just delivered our baby and was being discharged today (Sunday). My husband came to the hospital around 10am, but then went to check on the car about an hour later.

“He went down to the parking lot and was surprised to see three unknown men trying to force open the car’s door,” said the man’s wife when met following the incident.

She said a scuffle broke out as her husband tried to stop the trio, with members of the public coming to his aid after responding to his shouts for help.

They managed to detain one of the suspects but could not stop the other two from fleeing the scene.

Police were notified of the incident and arrived to take custody of the 20-year-old suspect.

District police chief ACP Lim Meng Seah, when contacted yesterday, said the case is being investigated under Section 379A of the Penal Code.