JOHOR BARU: The police patrol car that was stolen by a robbery suspect in Bandar Seri Alam here on Saturday night were found in Kangkar Tebrau this morning.
Seri Alam district police chief Superintendent Abdul Samad Salleh said the patrol car was found at 9.35 am, some 12 hours after it was stolen by the suspect.
"However, the suspect is still at large," said Abdul Samad.
In the incident, the 22-year-old suspect escaped in the patrol car after being picked up by two policemen.
Abdul Samad said the suspect was arrested after he had allegedly attempted to rob a Pakistan national.
"The suspect was handcuffed and brought into the Proton Wira, while the two police corporals were gathering information from the victim (the Pakistani). The suspect abruptly made off with the patrol," he said in a statement.
A massive road block was put up and the vehicle was found abandoned at the Kangkar Tebrau area.
The case is being investigated under Section 223/224 of the Penal Code for escape from confinement negligently suffered by a public servant.
It could not be immediately established if the HK MP5 firearm with 60 bullets that was in the vehicle had been retrieved.
Samad appealed for anyone with information concerning the suspect, whose last known address was in Kampung Sayang in Tanjung Sedili, to call the Seri Alam police station at 07-3864222 or the state police headquarters at 07-2212999.
State police chief Datuk Rusli Ahmad confirmed the incident, saying that the policemen was despatched to the scene after the suspect who had been caught by members of the public.
"We are investigating how the suspect managed to escape with the patrol car," said Rosli after attending the closing parade and appointment of Kor Suksis police cadets at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in Batu Pahat that was officiated by Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.