TEMERLOH: A 15km high-speed chase between a police mobile patrol vehicle (MPV) and suspects travelling in two Toyota Hilux along Jalan Maran-Temerloh near Kampung Batu Bor near here today ended when one of the four-wheel-drive vehicles flipped and landed on its side.
Two men, believed to be involved in stealing fibre optic cables earlier, travelling in the Toyota Hilux had crashed into a metal fence near a plantation before landing on its side in the 4am crash.
Both men fled on foot into their nearby forest.
The drama unfolded when police received a report about cable theft near a petrol station at Km4 of Jalan Maran-Temerloh about 3.53am and deployed the MPV unit to the location.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Mazlan Hassan said police went to the location near Kampung Paya Jauh where they spotted two Toyota Hilux.
"(The drivers of) both vehicles tried to flee, resulting in a high-speed chase. The suspects drove towards Kampung Charuk Puting junction.
"After a 15km chase, one of the Hilux drivers lost control and crashed into a metal fence before the vehicle landed on its side," he said in a statement today.
Two men crawled out of the vehicle and ran towards the nearby forest, he said.
However, the whereabouts of the other Hilux could not be verified.
He said policemen found some 50 pieces of fibre optic cables measuring about 1m long on the ground near the vehicle and other tools including cable cutters inside the vehicle.
Police also found a MyKad and mobile phone at the scene, he said.
Mazlan said investigations revealed both the Hilux vehicles were using fake number plates and had not been reported stolen.
"One of the suspects has been identified and we are tracking two others.
"The police tracker dogs are assisting to locate the suspects who might be hiding at the plantation where the crash occurred," he said, adding the case is investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.