AN elderly man has been arrested after allegedly stealing a vehicle with a 12-year-old girl with disabilities inside, in an incident that took place at a car workshop in Penaga at approximately 5.30pm on Friday.
Seberang Perai Utara District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Anuar Abd Rahman, said the suspect, believed to be in his 60s, was detained by officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Seberang Perai Utara District Police Headquarters, along with personnel from the Butterworth Police Station.
“The suspect is believed to suffer from mental health issues,” he said in a statement issued on Saturday.
“A background check revealed that he has seven previous criminal cases and 11 drug-related offences.”
The incident unfolded when the girl’s mother briefly left her daughter in the car, which was left running, while she delivered engine oil to her husband nearby.
“Upon returning, she discovered that the car was no longer there. Together with her husband and friends, she attempted to locate the vehicle but was unsuccessful,” Anuar said.
The mother then used the Life360 mobile application to trace the location of her phone, which was with her daughter at the time of the incident. The vehicle was subsequently tracked to the Bagan Lalang area in Butterworth. - June 21. 2025
