KUANTAN: Since early this year, four secondary school students have been teaming up with a group of unemployed youths to steal motorcycles from commercial areas and housing settlements here.
The youths, aged between 13 and 20 years old, even stole motorcycles which belonged to their schoolmates and relatives before selling the dismantled spare parts at a cheap price to their friends.
However, their reign came to an end on Sept 17 when police nabbed a 19-year-old youth, believed to be the mastermind, who was acting suspiciously near Batu Tiga, before he led police to the remaining eight members on the following day.
The thieving group led police to a disused mining pool and several abandoned houses where police recovered some 12 motorcycle frames and parts.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Aziz Salleh said investigations revealed the syndicate used an L-shaped master key which was used to steal the machines.
He said the syndicate members will usually target shopping complexes and housing estates, and even stole from their schoolmates who owned motorcycles.
"Four of the suspects are still in school and two of them are in Form One. Five of them tested positive for drugs," he said, adding the syndicate made quick money by selling the parts to their friends.
He added, in a separate case, police nabbed three youths aged between 17 and 25, on Sept 21 and recovered 20 stolen motorcycle parts from them.