MUAR, Johor — Three men were arrested early this morning for allegedly stealing telecommunications cables near the Parit Kassim bridge in Parit Jawa.
Muar police chief Assistant Commissioner Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said officers received a public tip-off at 2:51 a.m., prompting a patrol unit to respond to the scene.
According to police, the suspects attempted to flee in two vehicles, including a 4×4 pickup truck, after noticing the approaching patrol car. Both vehicles reportedly lost control and crashed into a ditch.
One suspect, aged 35, was apprehended at the scene, while the other two fled on foot before being arrested in a nearby palm oil plantation.
Investigators believe the group may have additional accomplices who remain at large.
Police seized two vehicles, 86 telecommunications cables of various sizes, mobile phones, cable-cutting tools, and other equipment believed to have been used in the theft. All three suspects tested positive for methamphetamine.
The men have been remanded for four days to assist investigations under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft, which carries a penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. They are also being investigated under Section 431A of the Penal Code for property damage and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
