MUAR: Three men who attempted to flee in two vehicles after allegedly stealing telecommunications cables were arrested after their getaway ended in a nearby oil palm estate.
Muar OCPD Asst Comm Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said the incident began when the district police control centre received a MERS 999 call at about 2.51am on Monday (Feb 16).
He said the suspected cable theft was detected near the Parit Kassim bridge along Jalan Temenggong Ahmad in Parit Jawa.
“Following the tip-off, a patrol team from the Parit Jawa police station was deployed to the scene and later spotted two vehicles believed to have been used by the suspects.”
“Both vehicles skidded into a drain while attempting to flee after realising the presence of police,” he said here on Tuesday (Feb 17).
ACP Raiz Mukhliz said a 35-year-old man was arrested at the scene while the other suspects initially managed to escape.
However, subsequent police action led to the arrest of two more local men later the same day at a nearby oil palm plantation.
He said the three suspects were remanded for four days to assist with the investigation.
“Urine screening tests found that all three suspects tested positive for methamphetamine,” he said, adding that police believe several other suspects are still at large and that efforts are ongoing to track them down.
ACP Raiz Mukhliz added that during the operation, police seized two cars, 86 pieces of cables of various sizes, several mobile phones, cable-cutting tools and other items believed to have been used in the crime.
He said a police forensic team from the Johor police contingent headquarters also conducted examinations at the scene and on the vehicles involved to collect evidence.
ACP Raiz Mukhliz added that the case is being investigated under Sections 379 and 431A of the Penal Code, as well as Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
