SUNGAI PETANI: A snatch thief’s attempt to use his three-year-old son as a decoy was thwarted by the screams of his victim, a 37-year-old housewife.
The 38-year-old thief whose son was riding pillion on his motorcycle snatched a handbag from the housewife at the back lane of Jalan Patani here at 4pm on Tuesday and fled.
However, they both fell seconds later when he hit a car.
Not knowing that the man was a snatch thief, passers-by rushed to help him and his son who were lying on the road.
The victim who had chased the thief on foot told passers-by that the motorcyclist had snatched her handbag.
They grabbed the man when he tried to flee and handed him over to a policeman in the area.
Kuala Muda district OCPD Asst Comm Abu Bakar Ibrahim said the snatch thief had tried to fool the public by using his son as a human shield.
“But his idea worked against him,” he said, adding that the man was remanded until Saturday to aid investigations.
He said the boy, who sustained minor bruises, was taken to the hospital by passers-by and given outpatient treatment, before being sent home.
ACP Abu Bakar commended the public for their swift action.
He also said the police had set up a special patrol team last week to monitor snatch theft-prone areas in the district.
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