Neighbours capture would-be housebreaker

KUCHING: The close rapport among residents of a housing estate at Jalan Batu Kawah-Matang led to the capture of a local man who attempted to break into a house there yesterday.

The 8.30am incident at Sweet Spring Park was discovered when a female resident spotted an unknown man scaling over the fence and into the compound of her house.

Fearing for her safety, she immediately contacted her husband, a 34-year- old salesman, who reacted by contacting his next- door neighbour for help.

Within moments, word of the intruder’s presence reached the ears of several other neighbours, who all proceeded to rush over to the salesman’s house in search of the suspect.

Padawan District police chief Supt Aidil Bolhassan, who confirmed the arrest when contacted, said the suspect had climbed onto the roof of the porch when he realised that the house had been surrounded by fellow residents.

“He tried to escape by leaping from the porch, but only hurt himself in the process and was quickly apprehended by the residents, who then handed over the suspect to a police patrol team,” he said, adding that the suspect later admitted that he had planned to break into the house to commit theft.

The suspect, who was not carrying any personal document on him, was later brought to Sarawak General Hospital for a check-up after complaining of a neck sprain. It is said that he hails from a village at Jalan Matang.

Aidil, who also praised the effort of the residents in coming together to nab the suspect, said the case had been classified under Section 453 of the Penal Code for attempted housebreaking.