KOTA SAMARAHAN – A 27-year-old man suspected of stealing telecommunications cables was arrested early this morning after being found with a bundle of wires and wire-cutting tools inside a car.
Kota Samarahan District Police Chief, Superintendent Damaterius Lautin, confirmed that the arrest took place around 1.30am in front of Diwey Tyres & Batteries Co. at Midway Crescent during a routine patrol by the Crime Prevention Unit.
“The patrol team saw the man behaving suspiciously and conducted a body search. They later searched his Perodua Viva, registration number QAV6234, and found a bundle of various telecom cables and wire-cutting equipment on the rear passenger seat,” said Damaterius.
He added that the suspect is a resident of Kampung Tabuan Lot, Kuching. The man was brought to the Kota Samarahan Police Station for further questioning.
Initial investigations revealed that the car used in the incident belongs to the suspect’s wife. It was also noted that there were no closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the location of the arrest, which could have captured footage of the crime.
Superintendent Damaterius further said the suspect has a criminal record, with past offences involving drug abuse and assault. These cases were previously reported at the Sekama and Tabuan Jaya police stations.
A urine test conducted after the arrest returned positive results for amphetamine and methamphetamine.
“The suspect has been remanded for four days until August 8. During initial questioning, he admitted to acting alone in this case,” said Damaterius, adding that investigations are still ongoing to determine if the suspect is linked to other similar thefts in the area.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.
