KOTA KINABALU: A suspected cable thief was nabbed after he crashed his car during a high-speed chase with cops in Penampang district on Thursday (Jan 29) evening.
According to police, the 30-year-old man was approached by patrol officers who had received a tip-off about ongoing cable thefts in the area.
“Patrol officials noticed a suspicious vehicle and approached to investigate when the driver sped off,” said Penampang deputy OCPD Dept Supt Erwansyah Abdul Basir on Friday (Jan 30).
A chase then ensued from the Kobusak area to Bundusan, in Penampang, about 7km away.
“When the suspect reached the Bundusan area, he lost control and crashed into a business premise near a primary school,” he said.
DSP Erwansyah said the suspect got out of his car and attempted to flee on foot, but was nabbed not long after.
Inspections in the car led to the discovery of some copper cables and a car battery unit.
The vehicle believed to have been used in stealing cables was seized, and the suspect was taken in for interrogation.
Further checks found that the suspect tested positive for drugs and had several previous drug-related convictions.
