Incidences of auto theft have been rising right here in Malaysia, with syndicates focusing on pick-up vans, 4x4s and SUVs specifically, in accordance with The Star. The nation is seeing a year-on-year improve within the variety of automobiles stolen, reaching a excessive of 14,592 final 12 months in comparison with 14,433 in 2022 and 13,426 in 2021.
Of these, bikes make up the lion’s share with 10,589 stolen, whereas 3,225 vehicles (inclusive of pick-ups, SUVs and MPVs, that is really barely down from 2022’s whole of three,264) and 778 lorries have been additionally taken from their house owners. As of September this 12 months, the overall of automobiles stolen reached 10,849, together with 7,700 bikes, 2,535 vehicles and 614 lorries.
Bukit Aman Felony Investigation Division (CID) director Comm Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain advised the publication in an interview that the stolen automobiles have been being offered abroad – together with neighbouring nations – with syndicates being paid handsomely.
Stolen automobiles are in excessive demand as a result of they’re a 3rd the worth of what they’re on the used market. Different components embrace the pressing want for spare components. “Our investigations revealed that car theft syndicates are focusing on 4×4 automobiles and SUVs as a consequence of excessive demand, as such automobiles can fetch a excessive value within the black market.
“Native car theft syndicates can be paid between RM20,000 and RM30,000 per luxurious car by worldwide syndicates, relying on the sort and situation of the car,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
He added that criminals have been turning in the direction of car theft as a result of excessive revenue and the way little time it takes to steal it, estimating that simply 5 minutes is all that it takes. Syndicates typically goal automobiles parked on the road, in open or public parking areas or in entrance of unfenced homes, though there have been a number of circumstances of luxurious car theft in gated neighbourhoods. Thieves typically observe and observe the motion of their focused car for between 24 and 72 hours earlier than stealing it.
The strategy of theft typically modifications over time to adapt to the growing sophistication of auto safety techniques and now contains a number of digital units to unlock vehicles with keyless entry, in addition to high-powered cellular jammers to disable GPS monitoring. “The sale of such devices and tools on-line is a serious contributing issue in the direction of the frequency of theft in Malaysia,” stated Mohd Shuhaily. “These units are simply accessible and bought by on-line functions.”
He added that the skill to defeat keyless entry techniques has been a significant factor accelerating car theft. “Syndicates have found methods to hack keyless entry techniques or to bypass safety techniques with out using the unique key,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
Thieves additionally make the most of proprietor negligence and the shortage of auto safety techniques, in addition to alarm techniques which can be simply accessible and weak to tampering. “Different negligent behaviours are parking the car in a secluded space or darkish place, not putting in further locks, or worse, leaving the car unlocked,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
As for what occurs after the automotive is stolen, that depends upon the place it’s headed. “The modus operandi for the home market typically includes tampering with engine and chassis numbers of the automobiles earlier than promoting them.
“The syndicates would additionally dismantle the stolen automobiles and promote the spare components. For the worldwide market, syndicates would smuggle the automobiles in another country on demand,” stated Mohd Shuhaily, including that stolen automobiles are smuggled throughout the border utilizing false registration numbers and paperwork much like the mannequin of the stolen car.
Of the 53,300 automobiles stolen since 2021, 13,704 have been recovered by the CID, particularly its Intelligence, Operations and Information Division (D4). “We additionally detained 17,199 people nationwide in reference to car thefts. All those that have been arrested had prison data, together with automotive and bike thefts in addition to drug offences,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
Among the many measures taken by the police was the shut collaboration with enforcement companies in Thailand to thwart transnational organised crime alongside the border. “Conducting joint operations to observe unlawful passages or routes can also be very important. We additionally elevated the frequency of patrols in hotspot areas and have stepped up the arrest and prosecution of auto thieves,” Mohd Shuhaily stated, including that authorities have additionally performed campaigns to unfold car safety consciousness.
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