KOTA KINABALU: A special task force has been set up by the police after records show that about 556 four-wheel-drive vehicles were reported stolen in Sabah since 2014.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said of the stolen vehicles, only nine four-wheel-drive vehicles had been recovered.
Jalaluddin said police believed most of the stolen vehicles were smuggled into a neighbouring country, in particular Long Bawan in North Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Investigation is still being carried out to establish if syndicates are involved.
Jalaluddin added that Sabah police had contacted their counterparts in Sarawak and Indonesia for assistance.
This came to light when a local photographer’s four-wheel-drive vehicle was stolen from his home in Penampang on January 25.
Benny Liew claimed to have found his stolen Toyota Land Cruiser at Long Bawan in North Kalimantan, Indonesia after a friend spotted the vehicle in Sarawak, heading towards the Indonesian border.
Liew also claimed that hundreds of vehicles, mostly four-wheel-drives with Sabah registration numbers were at Long Bawan.
On Tuesday, State Criminal Investigation Department chief SAC Datuk Sallehhudin Abd Rahman said the police would investigate the claim made by Liew.
“We want the public to know that police are investigating this case and will seek for cooperation from Sarawak police.
“We are also hoping to work together with the force in Indonesia,” he said to The Borneo Post.
Sallehhudin also hopes members of the public would come forward and share any valuable information with the police on the issue or other criminal activities in the future.