GEORGE TOWN: A suspected copper cable thief's car was shot at by police after he drove away from the men in blue who had wanted to question him.
Acting Northeast OCPD Supt Lee Swee Sake said the 5.30pm drama unfolded when police personnel on patrol encountered the suspect, who was behaving suspiciously, near the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) substation at Jalan Kelawai.
"The policemen wanted to check the driver of the car but the man sped off, nearly hitting a policeman. He continued to drive dangerously and hit several other nearby vehicles,” he said when contacted on Friday (Oct 25) night.
"The policeman fired two shots, which struck the car's front left tyre but the vehicle continued moving. The car came to a stop 200m away due to a flat tyre. However the suspect tried to flee on foot."
He said the suspect was eventually nabbed in the Midland area, some 500m from where he abandoned his car. The suspect was trying to hide in a shopping complex when he was apprehended.
Supt Lee said that based on preliminary investigations, the suspect was believed to be involved in stealing copper cables from the TNB substation room.
He added that police are still conducting further investigations, including whether the suspect is involved in other cases of copper cable theft in the district.- Bernama
