Thursday, 8 September 2016 | MYT 3:15 PM
Cops bust gang of thieves who steal cars ‘on demand’
THE STAR
KOTA KINABALU: Police busted a syndicate specialising in stealing cars “on demand” with the arrest of eight addicts around the state capital.
The 33-year-old mastermind of “Geng Min Xhi”, who is wanted over five criminal cases, was also among those nabbed in the operation between Aug 28 and Sept 1.
City police chief Asst Comm M. Chandra said the suspects - five men and three women - had been operating for a long time but went “quiet” and only reactivated their “trade” this April.
“They look for cars that their middlemen request and sell them cheaper than the market price,” he said, adding that most of the money earned was to fund their addiction and for entertainment.
The suspects, aged between 18 and 33, are believed involved in at least 12 cases of house break-ins and car thefts involving losses of about RM500,000 in July and August.
He said the men, aged between 25 and 33, have in-depth knowledge of cars, engines and key duplication techniques while the women, aged between 18 and 24, are believed to be the partners of some of the men.
ACP Chandra said police are searching for two middlemen – Low Hui Chuong @ Bali and Wong King Tung – to help in the investigations.
“Following the arrests, police seized several vehicles and spare parts worth about half a million ringgit,” he added.
The stolen vehicles were meant for customers in plantations, to be sent over to Lawas and Indonesia or Sarawak.
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