[Watch] Cable Theft Suspect Outrun Police In Dramatic Kuala Lumpur Chase

The incident, captured in a viral 27-second video, showed the suspect’s vehicle colliding with another car before the perpetrator fled on foot.

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A suspected cable thief managed to escape authorities early Sunday morning (23 March) after a dramatic police chase through the streets of Kuala Lumpur, leaving behind a rental car containing tools “of the trade”.

The pursuit began when Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) officers attempted to intercept the suspect, who was believed to be involved in a series of cable thefts across the Sentul district.

A 27-second video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the suspect’s vehicle colliding with another car during the chase before escaping.

The pursuit ended when the suspect abandoned the vehicle by the roadside along Jalan Kuching and fled on foot, successfully evading the pursuing officers.

Taman Rainbow to Jalan Kuching: Anatomy of a Failed Arrest

Sentul District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Sukarno Mohd Zahari said in a statement that his men initiated pursuit after identifying suspicious activity along the route from Taman Rainbow to Jalan Kuching.

Police investigation of the abandoned vehicle revealed it was registered to a rental company.

Several cable theft tools were discovered inside, strengthening the suspect’s connection to recent cable theft incidents in the area.

Ahmad Sukarno said police are actively tracking down the suspect based on available leads.

The case is being investigated under multiple sections of the Penal Code, including Sections 379 and 511 for theft and Sections 186 and 279 for obstructing public servants and reckless driving.

Persistent Infrastructure Threat

The incident highlights ongoing challenges authorities face in combating cable theft, a crime that has caused significant infrastructure damage and service disruptions across the country.

Cable theft, especially of copper cables, is driven by the high price of scrap copper, which can fetch up to USD900 per tonne (approximately RM3,982), making it a lucrative target for thieves.

Eight men, including two Telekom Malaysia (TM) employees, were arrested in Penang in December last year for illegally cutting and stealing telecommunication cables.

The suspects, aged between 31 and 42, were caught by the police during a raid, with 242 rods recovered.

In another case in Subang Jaya, Selangor, a single theft incident involving sophisticated thieves targeting street lighting infrastructure resulted in losses exceeding RM300,000.

Malaysia recorded 1,492 cases of telecommunication tower cable theft and vandalism between January 2023 and March 2024, highlighting a persistent challenge for the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.

Kegiatan curi kabel TNB di Kuala Langat. 15 lelaki diberkas polis susulan penemuan 4.5 tan kabel milik TNB dianggarkan bernilai RM150,000 di Telok Panglima Garang.

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— Info Kuala Langat (@InfoKuala) September 25, 2020