MELAKA: A syndicate specialising in the theft of four-wheel drives (4WD) is active in Melaka, with the stolen vehicles being resold in neighbouring countries for as little as RM10,000 each, says the state police chief.
Deputy Comm Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said 4WD thefts have been reported almost weekly since the beginning of this year.
He said 15 have been stolen across the state so far, with the Melaka Tengah district recording the highest number of thefts.
"In just the past month alone, there have been weekly reports of these vehicles going missing and we suspect it's the work of an organised syndicate.
"Most of the stolen vehicles are taken to the north before being smuggled through Thailand and resold to third countries such as Laos and Cambodia,” he told a press conference at state police headquarters in Bukit Beruang here on Wednesday (April 16).
“A syndicate member only needs about three minutes to steal a vehicle, with the thieves believed to be using a jammer to disable GPS tracking systems.
“These thefts do not only occur at night. There have been cases reported during the day as well, in open areas such as shopping centre car parks and residential neighbourhoods,” he said.
DCP Dzulhairi said the estimated losses so far total nearly RM1.5mil.
“What’s shocking is that vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit in Malaysia are being sold abroad for as little as RM10,000," he said.
Police believe the syndicate has an extensive network that includes "insiders" who help smuggle the stolen vehicles out, he added.
