Police arrest Penaga car theft suspect who drove off with special needs girl in unattended vehicle

KEPALA BATAS, June 21 — Police have arrested a man who fled in a vehicle with a 12-year-old special needs girl in Penaga yesterday.
Seberang Perai Utara police chief ACP Anuar Abd Rahman said the incident occurred around 5.30 pm when the girl's mother had gone to her husband's workshop to deliver engine oil, leaving her daughter in the car with the engine still running.
'However, when the woman, who is in her 40s, returned to the vehicle, she discovered that both the car and her daughter were missing. She then used the Life360 location tracking app to locate her phone, which was with her daughter, and found it was in the Bagan Lalang area of Butterworth,' he said in a statement today.
He added that based on this information, a team from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Seberang Perai Utara district police headquarters, together with personnel from the Butterworth police station, managed to arrest a suspect and recover both the victim and the vehicle.
He said checks revealed that the suspect, who is in his 60s, has seven prior criminal records and 11 past drug-related cases.
'The victim is in good condition and did not sustain any injuries. She was taken to Kepala Batas Hospital for a medical examination,' he added.
Anuar said that further investigations are ongoing. The case is being investigated under Sections 379A and 363 of the Penal Code. Members of the public with any information are urged to contact investigating officer ASP Haslinda Rahmat at 04-576 2222 (ext 2275) or report to the nearest police station to assist with the investigation. — Bernama

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