ISKANDAR PUTERI: A 31-year-old father of three was arrested for allegedly stealing food and school items worth more than RM400 at a supermarket here on Sunday.
The suspect was stopped by a security guard at the supermarket who asked him to produce the receipts for his purchases in the 3pm incident.
However, the man, who works as a cook for a government department in the district for the past 13 years, could not do so.
Iskandar Puteri district police chief Superintendent Noor Hashim Mohamad told a press conference here today that the suspect was then brought to the management office after he failed to show the receipts.
He said the suspect had with him various frozen food products, ice cream, sweets, shoes, school shoe polish, stockings, clothing for school including pants, all amounting to RM415.60.
The suspect had gone to the supermarket with his eldest son, aged three.
Noor Hashim said initial investigation revealed the suspect resorted to stealing as he did not have enough money to pay for the food and at the same time, he thought of the need to get school items for his children.
The case is being investigated under Section 380 of the Penal Code for theft in a building.