Mohd Zaidi (right) showing the recovered four-wheel-drive vehicles.
KOTA KINABALU (March 18): Two wanted suspects who broke into a showroom and stole two four-wheel-drive vehicles before fleeing to Selangor for holiday, were nabbed by police at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) upon their return about a week later.
Kota Kinabalu police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said police were waiting for the suspects at the KKIA after receiving information of their return to the state capital at 8pm on March 15.
“Both suspects, including another suspect who is still at large, had broken the glass window of the showroom along Jalan Lintas in Kepayan and took off with two four-wheel-drive vehicles on March 8.
“The suspects then sold one of the stolen vehicles to a buyer for RM10,000 while the second vehicle was kept at a car park in Menggatal.
“They buyer of the stolen vehicle then changed the plate number to a fake number plate as well as changing the rims and tires of the stolen vehicle to avoid detection.
“Following the incident, police immediately set up a task force and managed to detect two of the suspects who had gone to Selangor after committing the robbery,” he said at a press conference at the Kota Kinabalu police headquarters here on Saturday.
Mohd Zaidi said based on information from their counterparts in Selangor, the suspects were involved in several housebreaking cases in the Peninsular.
“The suspects were believed involved in three housebreaking cases in Selangor and one in Perak.
“The suspects were also involved in two housebreaking cases in Keningau and the latest was the burglary at the vehicle showroom,” said Mohd Zaidi.
Following the arrests, police managed to recover the two stolen four-wheel-drives, another four-wheel-drive, 11 handphones, 10 watches, a laptop, cash and other items believed to have been stolen.
Mohd Zaidi said both suspects, aged 36 and 39, also had 18 and 19 previous criminal records respectively, which included drugs and burglary.
Meanwhile, police have launched a manhunt for the third suspect.
Mohd Zaidi said the third suspect acted as the driver for the two accomplices when they broke into the vehicle showroom.
He added that there was no security guard at the showroom but police managed to identify the suspects based on footage from the CCTV installed in the showroom.
Mohd Zaidi urged anyone with information on Adzirul Syamil Kamarudin @ Joy to immediately contact the nearest police station.
The case is being investigated under Section 457/379A of the Penal Code.