KOTA KINABALU: Police arrested two suspected cable thieves after a high-speed chase ended in a crash early Sunday (May 24).
At about 3am, a joint patrol by police and Telekom Malaysia personnel spotted two suspicious vehicles parked near a Telekom Malaysia manhole along Jalan Tuaran, close to the National Audit Department.
“When they approached, they saw several men cutting cables. The suspects immediately fled in their cars, a 4WD vehicle and a van, when they saw us,” said Kota Kinabalu acting OCPD Supt Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman.
Supt Syed Lot said the 4WD driver attempted to ram a police vehicle during the escape, triggering a brief chase that ended when the driver lost control and crashed near a petrol station.
Two men were arrested after officers found a cable cutter in the 4WD. Their accomplices in the van managed to escape. Police later found cut cables left behind at the scene.
The case is being probed for attempted murder, obstruction of a civil servant and offences under the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998. Supt Syed Lot said operations against cable theft will be intensified and urged anyone with information on the case or the van to contact the Kota Kinabalu police station or the investigating officer, Insp Saiful Azri Ismail, at 014-6115879.
