Three students and four other youngsters arrested for multiple motorcycle thefts

LABUAN: Seven youths, including three students, have been apprehended for their involvement in motorcycle thefts on the island.

The suspects, aged between 14 and 18, are believed to have stolen at least four motorcycles since June. Labuan police chief Superintendent Mohd Hamizi Halim stated that a specialized team was established to locate the perpetrators after receiving four separate reports of motorcycle thefts from the same area on June 17 and July 26.

One of the stolen motorcycles was recovered on July 14, hidden in bushes in Kampung Bedaun. Following the final theft on July 27, police arrested two teenagers and recovered another stolen motorcycle. This led to the arrest of five additional teenagers and the recovery of the remaining stolen motorcycles, which had been discarded in a river.

“The group targeted motorcycles left unsecured at night, moving them to hidden locations. They then replaced the ignition switches with new ones,” said Mohd Hamizi Halim.

All seven suspects were charged today under Section 414 of the Penal Code for handling stolen property, with a potential sentence of up to seven years in prison if convicted.