Friday February 11, 2011
Snatch thieves attack crime patrol volunteer
GEORGE TOWN: A voluntary patrol unit member went after two snatch thieves on a motorcycle but ended up being hit with a hammer. Tan Chin Leong, 25, gave chase on his motorcycle when he spotted the culprits grabbing the handbag of a woman in Air Itam at about 1pm yesterday. The chase lasted more than 6km and even passed through the grounds of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) at one point.
Hurt on duty: Tan being attended to by Gerakan’s Dr Kiew Hen Chong after the incident yesterday.
From Air Itam, the snatch thieves fled along Jalan Paya Terubong and Jalan Bukit Gambier where they turned into USM. They were on their way out towards the Jalan Sungai Dua entrance when Tan caught up with them.
It is learnt that Tan and the thieves then exchanged kicks. All of them fell from their motorcycles but then one of the thieves attacked Tan with a hammer. Tan was injured on his right hand which he had used to fend off the blow.
He was joined later by another voluntary patrol member who suffered minor cuts when he was briefly involved in the altercation with the thieves. The timely arrival of other members of the patrol unit saved the day as they overpowered and caught the thieves with help from the public.
At least 50 members had been informed of the incident via walkie talkie. They are from the Penang Island voluntary patrol unit which was set up in 2009 by lorry salesman Sunny Lim with the assistance of Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik with the purpose of helping police curb crime.
Lim said the unit now has 1,600 members who conduct voluntary patrols during their free time and used walkie talkies to communicate among themselves. Tan, he said, had been sent to Penang Hospital where he received outpatient treatment.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said the case was being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft. He thanked the public for making the citizen’s arrest.
