Thieves are transforming ...

When we talk about theft and burglary, it used to mere stealing several thousand ringgit worth of goods from business premises over the weekend or holiday period, or valuables bundled into cars from unguarded homes in rich neighbourhoods in the steal of the night...

Or an occasional "The Heist"-style copy-cat tunnelling into a bank vault -- it happened over a festive weekend holiday to one in Cheras, leading to many Safe Deposits boxes disappearing ... that's another long olde story ...

Of course, in view of the coming Year of the Dog, some owners are lucky they keep Man's Best Friend as pets, and they could have deterred many a potential housebreaker or robber. In you still have no Doggie in the Window, please visit the SPCA in Jalan Ulu Klang, Selangor. Get caught in the last minute rush. It lends to hyping up the CNY atmosphere a woofing notch or two?

But Malaysians -- including thieves and robbers -- have moved up the tech level in tandem with the rest of society.

Look at the audacity of these buggers as reported:

from The Star, page 19, Jan 26, 2006:


Transformer thieves held


TANJUNG MALIM: A syndicate, believed to be experienced in stealing power transformers from sub-stations, has been busted with the arrest of four men.

OCPD Deputy Supt Shariff Abdul Aziz Shariff Rahimattullah said the four, aged between 20 and 41, were detained at the toll exit here at 3am yesterday.

“Ulu Bernam police spotted a lorry which was equipped with a crane at the toll exit and discovered the two transformers belonging to Tenaga Nasional Bhd,” he told reporters.

The police also seized a Proton Wira car used by the suspects.


Pic showing: SEIZED: DSP Shariff Abdul Aziz (right) checking the car that was used by the syndicate which stole two transformers from the Bernam Industrial Park I and II in Tanjung Malim yesterday. The transformers can be seen on the lorry in the background. (As I wrote yesterday, please use a li'l Imagination on the pic, rite!:)

DSP Shariff Abdul Aziz said investigations revealed that the two transformers, worth a total of RM200,000, were from a sub-station at the Bernam Industrial Park I and II here.

The police believed that there were “ready buyers” for the transformers.

DSP Shariff Abdul Aziz said the transformers were stolen because the thieves wanted to remove the copper and lubricant which could be sold at a high price.

The transformers contained expensive recyclable lubricant and 1,000kg of copper, which could be sold at RM16 per kg, he added.

He also appealed to the public to contact TNB immediately whenever there was a power cut because residents near the industrial estate did experience a blackout before the transformers were found missing from the sub-station.

Last month, seven suspects were picked up in connection with the theft of three 132KW transformers in Taiping.

Police recovered two of the transformers, each weighing over 30 tons, and also seized a forklift, a lorry trailer, a crane, about 60 drums of lubricants siphoned from the two transformers and several insulators.


DESIDERATA:
But at the back of my mind, some questions pop up:
* Who are these "ready buyers" of stolen transformers?
These must be reasonably sized businesses in need of the electric machines, yes?
Maybe they should electrocute themselves w'ile putting up these stolen goodies.

* In this reported incident, a lorry was used to carry the transformers of several
tonnes. They surely need a lot of other machines like loaders and jackers and muscled men to load these green and mean transformers, yes?
What are the sources of these "collateral machines and equipment" to do the Italian-style jobs?
(Must apologise to these people femes for their spa-ghetti and Sophia Loren...)

When it comes to audacity and daylight robbery, I'm sad to record Malaysians have indeed gone up the international ranks. In line with MSC development?

In the forthcoming long break during CNY, make sure to minimise break-in chances into your war-chest, right. Desi da church mouse offers his "jaga" services -- RM1,000 per hour, any takers?

Me, I'm a low-tech guy -- Desi even had to ring Kyels to copy a PDF file! And she is a real Befriender in word and spirit.