LAWAS: A cable thief was arrested following a botched theft attempt near a water treatment plant in Hulu Trusan here last night.
The 42-year-old unemployed man was found stuck between cables of an electric pole in the 11pm incident.
It was learnt that the suspect with two cable theft records was about to steal the cable when he was caught in such situation.
A security worker, who was manning the area, alerted the police and the state Fire and Rescue Department when he saw the suspect with his legs stuck between the cables.
The department sent a team to rescue the suspect before handing him over to the police.
Lawas district police chief Deputy Superintendent Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said police also found several items including the parang near the pole.
"We believed that the suspect was trying to cut the cable using the parang but failed in his attempt," he said.
The suspect from Kampung Lintang here, said Zainal, was rushed to the hospital by the police for injuries on his legs.