Police bust motorcycle theft gang in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: The police busted a motorcycle theft gang that was active around the Northeast district of Penang with the arrest of three men, including a Penang City Council (MBPP) staff, in Jelutong, on Wednesday.
Northeast district police chief ACP Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said acting on information and intelligence, a police team managed to trace the 26-year-old male MBPP staff, before arresting him at 10pm.
"On May 13, police received a report from a man regarding the theft of Yamaya 125Z motorcycle in Jalan Perak, Taman Abidin, and following that, we launched an operation to locate the suspects involved," he told reporters here, today.
He said following the arrest of the man who was the gang leader and who also tested positive for drugs, the police also managed to nab two of his accomplices in Jelutong, on the same day.
He said police recovered the Yamaha 125Z as well as a Honda Dash reported missing earlier, believed to have been stolen by the gang.
Mior Faridalatrash said initial investigations revealed that the three men were actively engaged in motorcycle theft in the area over the past several months, and were selling the stolen items to buyers at bargain prices.
"Following their arrest, the police also seized various equipment used to steal motorcycles, including a spanner, screw driver, bolt cutters and various duplicate keys," he said.
He said the three men were remanded to facilitate investigations, and the case was being investigated under Section 379A(1) of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, he said the police also arrested three other youngsters aged 13 to 21, including two school students, for motorcycle theft, yesterday.
"A police team was on patrol in Pulau Tikus, and they stumbled upon the three youngsters who were allegedly trying to steal a motorcycle.
"The three ran as soon as they saw the police," he said, adding that swift action by the police managed to stop the three from escaping, and recovered two motorycles previously reported missing from Jalan Patani, here. — Bernama