Drop in vehicle theft cases in six-year period

KUALA LUMPUR: Vehicle theft cases across the Malaysia-Thailand border from 2012 until 2017 have reported a 42% drop.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun (pix) said the positive development was the outcome of the collaboration forged between the two countries which would be strengthened periodically for mutual benefit.
He said, in 2012, 71,981 vehicle theft cases were reported, in 2016 there were 48,411 cases reported while last year there were 42,154 cases.
"The close collaboration was formed through the establishment of the Aseanapol Secretariat which focuses on crimes across borders, including the smuggling of drugs and weapons.
"Recently, the Royal Thailand Police (RTP) seized 20 luxury cars estimated to be worth RM3 million that were smuggled from Malaysia," he said in a press conference at the launching ceremony of the Aseanapol Secretariat and the handover of duties as Aseanapol executive director here today.
Mohamad Fuzi said this when commenting on a car theft syndicate from Malaysia that made Thailand as a transit centre for stolen vehicles before smuggling them to other countries in the region such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
On Tuesday, Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd revealed that since 2015, RTP had seized more than 100 vehicles that were stolen from Malaysia and handed them back to the Royal Malaysia Police. — Bernama