Police expose new ‘kite trick’ to commit burglary

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SIBU: The police here have found thieves resorting to an unusual way to commit crimes – using kites.

When contacted yesterday, its chief ACP Shafie Ismail revealed that the kite, made with its attached string snapped and as if it had drifted and landed in house compound accidentally, was actually thrown in intentionally as a tool for thieves to assess the surrounding.

He added that when the trick was placed, one of them would then call out to check if there was someone inside.

“If there was someone answering, they would give them the excuse that they wanted to collect the kite which had landed in the compound. If there was no answer, one of the thieves would take the opportunity to climb in before breaking into the house to steal.”

The police chief said a few cases had occurred and the complainants had also lodged police reports.

He said his officers had been sent to comb the crime scene, and indeed, they did find kites in many house compounds.

The police chief said they had launched a series of operations at dawn yesterday against property crimes, and in one of the raids, they arrested an 18-year-old boy in his house at Sungei Pa’dris Road.

“We believe he is a member of the kite group. The members of the group could be friends getting together for the commissions. We believe they are young – probably teenagers and those in their early 20s.”

Shafie said they had received the theft reports related to the kites in Delta Estate and Kampung Hilir, adding that this could be indication of where the group was active.

He said he wanted to reveal this to alert the residents, “but, we cannot reveal further because we are now seeking help from the detained boy to solve these cases.”

He said in a series of raids on Tuesday, they had arrested a total of seven persons, including the teenage boy.

“We believe the seven are involved in house breaking thefts, as well as motorcycle thefts and snatching.”

In the operation led by ASP Yeoh Chun Shyang, he said his team together with the D4 Intelligence Unit first raided a house at Kampung Nyabor at 4.30am.

They arrested two men aged 19 and 25 for house-breakings, he said.

“We seized one motorcycle and found no engine and chassis numbers on it.”

He said the team then went on to arrest a member of the kite group before they went on to arrest two more men in a house at Tiong Hua Road.

“We pulled the two in for investigation in house breaking thefts and motorcycle thefts.”

By daybreak, he said, they proceeded to a budget hotel where they arrested another two in a room for investigations of house breaking thefts and snatching.

“Tools commonly used for theft were seized in the scene. The police also stumbled on apparatus for syabu abuse and confiscated it as well.”

He said the two had been tested positive later for drug abuse.