Attempt to steal 4WD foiled, thanks to patrolling cops

KUCHING: An attempt by a group of four men to steal a four-wheel drive vehicle (4WD) at Jalan Batu Lintang here early yesterday was thwarted, thanks to the vigilance of police patrollers.

In the 1am incident, police personnel from the central station here spotted two men behaving in a suspicious manner in front of an automotive workshop during a crime-prevention patrol.

As the patrollers approached closer, the two men immediately abandoned the motorcycles they were sitting on and escaped on foot, while two more men emerged from a Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD parked beside the workshop and fled.

Police were able to apprehend two of the four men along Jalan Bukit Hantu during the pursuit, and also recovered the two motorcycles which were left in front of the workshop earlier.

Checks later revealed that the detained two are Indonesians in their 20s, while the two motorcycles were fitted with fake licence plates — one of it was later confirmed to have been reported stolen in Kota Sentosa.

An inspection on the 4WD uncovered damage to the key ignition slot, indicating that the suspects were attempting to jumpstart the vehicle when the police came.

The two Indonesian were also found to possess makeshift tools, believed to be used to commit vehicle thefts. They are now in lock-up, pending further investigations.