ISKANDAR PUTERI: Three men have been arrested in connection with motorcycle thefts in the Iskandar Puteri and Kota Tinggi areas.
The arrests were made during a joint operation, codenamed Ops Lejang, conducted by the district's Criminal Investigation Department and the Tanjung Kupang police between 6.15pm and 11.30pm on Jan 4.
Iskandar Puteri OCPD Asst Comm M. Kumarasan said the raid followed reports of motorcycle thefts at apartments in Gelang Patah and Tanjung Kupang.
Those arrested are aged between 20 and 38, he added.
“Initial investigations showed that the suspects had no prior criminal records. Preliminary urine tests also confirmed they tested negative for drugs,” he told a press conference here on Monday (Jan 13).
ACP Kumarasan said the group's modus operandi involved picking up "abandoned motorcycles" from the roadside using a lorry or a pickup truck.
“One suspect, a former apartment management administrator, knew where the motorcycles were parked.
“The majority of these stolen motorcycles belonged to former tenants who had moved out, so the management removed them to free up parking space,” he said, adding that the stolen bikes were believed to be sold in markets at Felda settlements across Johor.
In the operation, police also seized one car, 19 motorcycles, four motorcycle engines and other components.
