Incidences of car theft have been rising right here in Malaysia, with syndicates concentrating on pick-up vehicles, 4x4s and SUVs specifically, in line 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 automobiles (inclusive of pick-ups, SUVs and MPVs, that is truly barely down from 2022’s whole of three,264) and 778 lorries had been additionally taken from their house owners. As of September this 12 months, the full of automobiles stolen reached 10,849, together with 7,700 bikes, 2,535 automobiles and 614 lorries.
Bukit Aman Prison Investigation Division (CID) director Comm Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain advised the publication in an interview that the stolen automobiles had been being bought 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 value of what they’re on the used market. Different elements embrace the pressing want for spare components. “Our investigations revealed that automobile theft syndicates are concentrating 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 automobile theft syndicates might be paid between RM20,000 and RM30,000 per luxurious automobile by worldwide syndicates, relying on the kind and situation of the automobile,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
He added that criminals had been turning in direction of automobile theft because of the excessive revenue and the way little time it takes to steal it, estimating that simply 5 minutes is all that it takes. Syndicates usually 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 instances of luxurious automobile theft in gated neighbourhoods. Thieves usually observe and comply with the motion of their focused automobile for between 24 and 72 hours earlier than stealing it.
The strategy of theft usually adjustments over time to adapt to the growing sophistication of car safety programs and now contains a number of digital units to unlock automobiles 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 significant contributing issue in direction of the frequency of theft in Malaysia,” stated Mohd Shuhaily. “These units are simply accessible and bought via on-line purposes.”
He added that the potential to defeat keyless entry programs has been a significant factor accelerating automobile theft. “Syndicates have found methods to hack keyless entry programs or to bypass safety programs with out the usage of the unique key,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
Thieves additionally make the most of proprietor negligence and the shortage of car safety programs, in addition to alarm programs which can be simply accessible and susceptible to tampering. “Different negligent behaviours are parking the automobile in a secluded space or darkish place, not putting in extra locks, or worse, leaving the automobile unlocked,” Mohd Shuhaily stated.
As for what occurs after the automotive is stolen, that is dependent upon the place it’s headed. “The modus operandi for the home market usually 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 just like the mannequin of the stolen automobile.
Of the 53,300 automobiles stolen since 2021, 13,704 have been recovered by the CID, particularly its Intelligence, Operations and Data Division (D4). “We additionally detained 17,199 people nationwide in reference to automobile thefts. All those that have been arrested had felony information, together with automotive and motorbike 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 important. We additionally elevated the frequency of patrols in hotspot areas and have stepped up the arrest and prosecution of car thieves,” Mohd Shuhaily stated, including that authorities have additionally performed campaigns to unfold automobile safety consciousness.
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