Trio abandon stolen car and flee in another

Thorough inspection: Policemen checking the Honda City that was abandoned by the three men at a petrol station in Pendang, near Alor Setar.

ALOR SETAR: Three men high on the wanted list for a spate of luxury car theft cases stole two vehicles to escape the police after one of them was allegedly shot in Kuala Kedah here.

The trio were in a Honda City when four unmarked police vehicles from the Bukit Aman Special Task Force on Organised Crime suddenly blocked their way at a petrol kiosk. The driver in his bid to escape then rammed their vehicle into the police cars.

Kedah CID chief Asst Comm Mohd Nashir Ya said the Bukit Aman team had no choice but to open fire but the suspects managed to speed off during the incident at about noon yesterday.

“They then grabbed a red Proton Persona belonging to a customer at a Pendang petrol kiosk, more than 30km away from Kuala Kedah.

“Their Honda City, which was stolen in Kepong on April 2, was abandoned and blood stains were found in the car leading us to believe that one of them could have been shot,” he told reporters at the scene yesterday.

ACP Mohd Nashir said five bullet shells were found at the scene and the police were trying to determine if any gunshots came from the suspects.

“We received information that the men abandoned the Proton Persona in Bukit Tengah and fled in a Volkswagen stolen from a showroom nearby at about 2.30pm.

“We are now hot on the heels of the suspects,” he added.

ACP Mohd Nashir urged clinics to call the police if they come across anyone with a gunshot wound seeking treatment.

The case is investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code as attempted murder.

A witness, who declined to be named, said he saw the Honda City entering the petrol station in Pendang and the suspects pounced on the owner of the Proton Persona who was filling water in the tank.

He added that he saw one of the men was injured and had blood on his head.