KOTA KINABALU: Police have detained six people, including a form one student, for suspected involvement in six motorcycle theft cases with losses amounting to RM31,000.
Chandra (second right) with CID chief DSP Nor Azizulkifli Mansor (right), traffic police Inspector Freedy Untun (second left) and a police officer with the recovered stolen motorcycles.
City police chief ACP M. Chandra said the arrests were made separately around the state capital between September 14 and 16.
“In the first case, a 13-year-old boy was arrested for having in his possession a stolen Honda EX5 with fake plate number at Kampung Lembaga Padi in Likas at around 3am on September 14 after police received a tip-off,” he told a press conference at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing here yesterday.
“In the second case, police detained a 19-year-old man at his home in Kampung Cenderamata in Likas on September 14 around 1.30am for riding his motorcycle in a dangerous manner around the city centre.
“Police had earlier tailed the suspect to his home from the city centre and upon investigation found that he had changed the Honda EX5 motorcycle plate number with a Proton Saga plate number to prevent detection,” said Chandra.
The third arrest was made on September 14 around 6.30am when a 20-year-old mechanic was arrested for possessing two stolen Honda EX5 motorcycles and a motorcycle frame at Kampung Warisan in Inanam.
On September 15 at around 5pm, police detained a 20-year-old man at Kampung Kalansanan in Inanam for alleged involvement in a motorcycle theft case but did not find any machine in his possession.
Two hours later on the same day, another 20-year-old man was detained for possession of a stolen Yamaha motorcycle at Kampung Lobou in Menggatal, said Chandra.
The final arrest was made on September 16 in Likas, where a 35-year-old man was held for possession of a stolen Honda EX5 motorcycle that was reported stolen in Ranau.
According to Chandra, the modus operandi of all these cases was similar where the suspects would break the motorcycle’s mudguard before puling out the ignition wire to start the engine with a screwdriver.
Chandra therefore reminded motorcycle owners, especially those with Honda EX5, to install a double lock on their motorcycles to prevent theft.
All the cases are being investigated under Section 379A of the Penal Code for motor vehicle theft, which carries a jail term of up to seven years and fine upon conviction.
Meanwhile, Chandra reported that motorcycle theft cases around the state capital have increased to 60 cases or 33 percent in the first nine months of this year when compared to last year.
“From January until September 16 of this year, 243 motorcycle theft cases have been reported compared to only 187 for the same period last year. This year alone, we have detained 64 people for their involvement in such cases and recovered about 29 stolen motorcycles valued at around RM116,000,” he said.
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