[Zenthachall]

Thursday January 27, 2011

Bike thieves pick on wrong target

By NIK NAIZI HUSIN
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

MARAN: The crime spree of motorcycle thieves known as Gang Pyramid came to an end when they tried to steal from police quarters in Temerloh. Police managed to arrest nine male members of the gang, aged between 17 and 26, after they tried to steal machines belonging to police officers at the police quarters in Temerloh two weeks ago.

Maran OCPD Deputy Superintendent of Police Ahmad Johari Shahabudin said police managed to nab the rest of the members following the arrest of four of them during the attempted theft.

Five members are waiting for their SPM examination results and three of the robbers are still studying in Form Five in different schools in the Maran District. The oldest member, aged 26, is a factory operator in Kuala Lumpur and has a criminal record.

DSP Ahmad Johari said police recovered 18 frames of motorycles, three engines and two exhaust pipes dumped in a lake in Bukit Kebok here, worth more than RM60,000. The stolen machines recovered were reported missing in Kuantan, Maran, Temerloh, Pekan, Ampang, Sungai Way, Sentul and Cheras.

“Some of the stolen items were recovered from a lake, located some three kilometres from Maran town. “We also believe that some parts and components of the stolen motorcycles were sold to individuals who will be arrested soon to facilitate investigations,’’ DSP Ahmad Johari said.

He said some of the motorcycles were reported stolen from mosque compounds, shopping areas and other public places.