BUKIT MERTAJAM: A 42-year-old man has been detained today in connection with a theft incident at a hotel carpark in Jalan Bukit Tengah here.
Seberang Prai Tengah police chief Assistant Commissioner Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid said the suspect, who was staying at the hotel, was arrested at 2pm today.
"He is a guest at the hotel and believed to have been doing this for the past four days.
"Checks showed he is from the Klang Valley," he said in a statement.
Nik Ros said police were notified of the incident after the victim, an accountant, received a text message of unsuccessful money transfers from his two bank accounts at 5am yesterday.
The victim became suspicious as he had left his ATM cards in his car which was parked on the forth floor of the hotel carpark.
Upon checking the car, he found that there was no sign of a break-in from the outside. However, on the inside, the car was in a mess and several items, including his ATM cards were missing.
Nik Ros said police managed to track down the suspect to his room at the hotel the next day and stormed the unit.
"In his room, we found some jewellery, foreign currencies and devices such as iPad and smartphone parts which were believed to have been stolen.
"We also found several packets of syabu and Eramin 5 pills. A stolen car was also seized from him. The total seizure is worth RM100,000," he added.
Nik Ros said that the man was believed to be connected with nine other theft cases in the state.
The suspect is currently under police custody and will be remanded from tomorrow under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.