THE police have busted five cross-state motorcycle theft gangs with the arrest of 21 individuals including a school student following raids in Kedah and Penang recently.

Those detained were believed to be members of five gangs known as ‘Geng Kupang’, ‘Geng Humairah’, ‘Geng Chot’, ‘Geng Pondok’ and ‘Geng Junjong’.

Seberang Perai Tengah police chief ACP Shafee Abd Samad said the district’s Criminal Investigation Division had formed a special team to to identify those involved following the increase in motorcycle theft cases in the district.

“The police had received a total of 37 reports of stolen motorcycles in April and May this year, and following that, we launched an operation on May 18 until June 1 to identify those involved in the thefts.

“In the operation, police managed to detain 21 people including two females, all aged between 14 and 37,” he said in a statement today.

Shafee said the suspects were all arrested separately during raids in Kupang, Baling, Sik and Junjong in Kedah and Seberang Prai Utara, Juru and Bukit Tengah in Penang.

He added that following the arrests, the police managed to recover 12 motorcycles, three motorcycle chassis and a motorcycle engine believed to have been stolen.

“We believe we have crippled five motorcycle gang thieves and solved several cases in Penang. Investigations are ongoing,” he said.

According to Shafee, some of those arrested possessed criminal records for motorcycle theft, burglary and drugs.

“One of those detained is a Form Two student while the rest were either jobless, self-employed or labourers. The case is being investigated under Section 379A of the Penal Code,” he added. – Bernama, June 9, 2022.