MIRI: Police cracked a copper cable theft case involving an alleged inside job at an electrical workshop, with five local men arrested and drugs detected in most of the suspects.
The theft, confirmed by Miri district police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah, was reported on Jan 5, after copper cables worth an estimated RM7,000 were stolen from a workshop in the city.
Investigations revealed that the suspects had entered the premises and removed copper cables measuring 300mm, four-core, before fleeing the scene.
Following intelligence-led operations, police arrested five local men aged between 24 and 42 in a series of raids conducted between January 10 and 12.
Police believe the crime was orchestrated with insider assistance.
Two of the suspects were employees of the workshop and are alleged to have conspired with two others who carried out the theft.
A fifth suspect is believed to be the buyer of the stolen cables.
A Perodua Myvi, allegedly used to transport the suspects to the scene and to move the stolen cables, was also seized during the operation.
With the arrests, police said the case had been successfully solved, although efforts are ongoing to recover the stolen cables.
The five suspects have been remanded until Jan 15 and 16 to facilitate further investigations under Section 379 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of seven years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Checks on criminal records revealed that three of the suspects have previous convictions involving theft and drug-related offences. Initial urine screening showed that four of the five tested positive for methamphetamine.
Police said the case highlights the growing link between property crime and drug abuse, and reiterated the need for vigilance among business owners.
ACP Mohd Farhan urged members of the public to continue sharing information and cooperating with the police to curb criminal activities.
Anyone with information is advised to contact the Miri district police headquarters operations room at 085-433400.
