KOTA KINABALU: A police personnel with the rank of corporal from West Malaysia was arrested in Sandakan for stealing a four-wheel-drive with a five-year-old boy inside the vehicle.
The incident happened on Dec 15 around 10.30am in Kunak, while the corporal, believed to be suffering from mental problems, was arrested in Sandakan on Dec 17, two days after he stole the vehicle.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said initial police investigation showed the boy’s father had left his son in the vehicle with the engine running outside the house’s compound unattended.
“After a few minutes in the house, the father came out to find his vehicle gone.
“Following investigations, police managed to arrest the suspect in Sandakan on Tuesday.
“The five-year-old boy is also safe and has been reunited with his family,” said Hamza, adding that the boy was not harmed in the incident.
He was speaking at a press conference after officiating at the ‘National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS 8)’ blood donation campaign, a joint communication between the Royal Malaysian Police and the Royal Malaysian Army at Komplex Karamunsing here yesterday.
Present during the event were Sabah Navy Regional Two Commander Rear Admiral Mohd Datuk Rosland Omar, Fifth Brigade Commander Brigadier General Datuk Ranjit Singh Ramday, Acting Fifth Brigade Commander cum administrative staff officer Lieutenant Colonel Ramli Sukardi, Sabah deputy police commissioner P/DCP Datuk Abdul Malek Hj Harun and Dr Shanaz Sabri from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital blood bank unit.
Hamza said police are investigating the motive for the case but investigations showed the suspect was suffering from mental problems.
“The suspect has been detained and remanded to facilitate police investigation under Section 365 and Section 379A of the Penal Code,” he said.
It was learnt that the suspect is a police personnel with the rank of corporal and is attached with the Negeri Sembilan Narcotics Division.
It was also learnt that the corporal was in the state for a holiday when the incident happened.