KUCHING: Samarahan police have arrested a 36 year old man suspected of stealing eight gas cylinders from a restaurant located within the UNIMAS campus. An accomplice is at large.
Samarahan Police Chief, Supt Damaterius Lautin said the arrest was made at around 11.30 am today at a residence in Taman Uni Vista, along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.
“The arrest followed intelligence received by the Crime Intelligence and Investigation Division (BSJD) of the Kota Samarahan District Police Headquarters. A team led by Insp. Mohd Irwan Ismail detained the suspect at his residence and brought him to the BSJD office for further investigation,” said Damaterius.
Damaterius said the suspect nicknamed known as ‘Boy’, is currently unemployed and has a long list of past criminal records involving drug offences and theft across various districts, including Kota Samarahan, Kota Sentosa, Kajang, and Bukit Baru. He is also wanted in connection with a fraud case reported in 2022.
Among the items seized during the arrest were a set of keys with a remote control and a white Nissan Grand Livina, believed to have been used during the theft.
Damaterius added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect has an accomplice who broke into a restaurant at Kolej Cempaka Unimas on the night of April 3 using a spanner to open the front door and loaded the stolen gas cylinders into their vehicle
The suspect later hid the stolen items in nearby bushes before selling them to a shop in Bandar Baru Kota Samarahan, earning RM600.
A portion of the proceeds was shared with his accomplice. The suspect also admitted to using methamphetamine on the night of April 20.
Damaterius stated that the suspect is currently held at the Kota Samarahan Police Station lockup and will be remanded and has been referred to the Narcotics Division for a urine test.
The case is being investigated under Section 380 of the Penal Code for theft.
By Connie Chieng