Dec 17, 2009
Embassy car in hit-and-run 'was stolen'
By Mavis Toh
POLICE have yet to make an arrest in the two hit- and-run accidents which left three people injured at Bukit Panjang Road on Tuesday.
Witnesses said the same vehicle - a black Audi A6, belonging to the Romanian Embassy - was responsible for the accidents, hitting two men first at one road junction and and then another at another intersection 100m ahead.
But it is unclear who was behind the wheel at the time of the accident as the car was reported stolen at around 3am, about the same time it was involved in the collisions.
When contacted yesterday, Dr Silviu Ionescu, charge d'affaires at the Romanian Embassy, said he last saw the car at about 1.30am on Tuesday.
He had driven the car from a karaoke lounge and had parked it in front of the embassy at 48 Jalan Harom Setangkai, near Farrer Road.
He locked the car and proceeded into the embassy to work on some reports.
'It's common practice for us to come to the embassy at this time of the night to file reports because of the time difference,' said Dr Ionescu, adding that he did not drink at the lounge, where he had a meeting with some businessmen.
He said he and his driver came out of the embassy at about 3am, and discovered that the car was missing.
'We wanted to take something from the car, and at first I thought I had forgotten where I parked it,' said Dr Ionescu, adding that he kept a spare set of car keys in the glove compartment on the passenger's side of the car.
He called the police to report the theft and was informed hours later that the missing car had been involved in a traffic accident.
At noon, he was told that the car was found abandoned in front of an office building in Sungei Kadut, and went with police officers to the scene.
'The front windscreen on the driver's side was smashed and the front bumper was damaged,' he said.
Dr Ionescu added that it was a common practice for them to park the embassy's two cars outside the compound. The missing car was usually driven by himself or the driver.
Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30, one of the three victims, is in critical condition at National University Hospital.
The other two victims, Mr Bong Hwee Haw, 24, and 18-year-old Muhamad Haris Abu Talib are in stable condition.
The police are still investigating the case.
Said Dr Ionescu: 'We feel sorry that such an accident has happened involving our car. I hope the culprit will be caught soon.'
