KUALA LUMPUR: For over a decade, a vehicle theft syndicate offered a cheaper and more convenient alternative to replacing the engines of broken-down lorries and heavy vehicles used at construction sites.
The engines were taken from a variety of stolen vehicles, including lorries of different classes, excavators and backhoes.
Sometimes, they would even alter the chassis number of the vehicles.
When the syndicate was busted in Perak and Selangor with the arrest of 20 people aged over 40 in a sting by police recently, the expertise of one key member of the racket left the authorities dumbfounded.
This individual was skilled in tampering with the engine numbers of stolen engines.
Equipped with a set of vintage letter and number punches he inherited from his grandfather and other custom-made tools, the suspect, going by the nickname “doctor”, was tasked with removing the serial number on a stolen engine block and replacing it with the original number of the old engine.
Sources told The Star that the suspect’s work was so meticulous that the tamperings were identical to the original markings and escaped detection during regular inspections conducted by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and Puspakom.
“He was thus nicknamed the ‘doctor’ and, together with two assistants, would replace the serial numbers on the stolen engine.
“This way, the vehicle owners need not go through the legal and tedious process of submitting the documentation and compulsory inspection required for an engine change.
“The suspect was paid over RM1,000 for each job he carried out,” said the sources.
The suspect was also tasked with tampering with and replacing the chassis numbers of stolen vehicles.
The large-scale joint operation was conducted over several days by the federal Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) vehicle theft division (D4), the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor police contingents, and the JPJ after months of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
Th sources added that at least 10 workshops specialising in the repair of lorries and heavy construction vehicles were raided in Selangor and Perak in the operation.
Apart from the “doctor” and his assistants, police nabbed mechanics, owners of the premises and vehicle thieves.
More than 30 lorries, excavators and other machinery worth over RM2mil were seized during the special operation.
Police learnt that each time there was an order for an engine replacement, the syndicate would source a stolen vehicle from thieves before removing its engine and carrying out the change.
“This is a one-of-a kind case where the vehicles managed to evade scrutiny by the authorities due to the flawless tampering of the engine serial numbers.
“It has been going on for over 10 years. While the syndicate profited, the vehicle owners saved on a huge chunk of the expenditure that they may have had to fork out.
“The seized vehicles are being checked with the help of the Chemistry Department and police forensics unit,” said sources, who added that police are also tracing other vehicles that had their engines replaced by the syndicate.
The case is being investigated for dealing in stolen property and other offences under the Penal Code and Road Transport Act.
