MELAKA, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Police arrested a man suspected of injuring a senior citizen, attempting to steal a vehicle, and harassing the public around Ayer Molek here yesterday.
Melaka Tengah police chief ACP Halim Abas said the incident occurred around 7.30 pm when the 36-year-old suspect hit an elderly man on the head with a glass bottle.
"The victim's 33-year-old daughter heard screams at the back of the house before finding her father dragged out of the prayer room by the suspect, his face and head covered in blood.
"The suspect then fled and was seen entering a vehicle belonging to a man parked in the compound of a house in Taman Ayer Molek.
"The complainant noticed the incident, asked his son to get out of the vehicle, and also pulled the suspect out of the car," he said in a statement today.
Halim said the suspect then acted aggressively and refused to leave. This prompted the complainant to contact the 999 emergency line for police assistance.
In a related incident, he said a man, his wife, and their two-year-old daughter encountered the suspect at the Taman Ayer Molek junction.
Halim said the suspect allegedly tried to take the wife's mobile phone and then grabbed their daughter. The complainant intervened, leading to a brief struggle.
"Members of the public then stepped in to restrain the suspect while waiting for the police to arrive," he said.
Halim said officers from the Melaka Tengah Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) unit were dispatched to the scene and arrested the suspect at about 8.20 pm.
"Initial checks showed the suspect suffered head injuries and was taken to Tiang Dua Police Station for further action. Preliminary urine screening found the suspect positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)," he said.
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 12(3) and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, Section 324 of the Penal Code, and Section 377D of the Penal Code.
Halim said checks also showed that the suspect had a prior conviction under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, while a seven-day remand application has been granted starting today until Oct 6 to assist in investigations.
He advised the public not to take matters into their own hands when dealing with aggressive or suspicious individuals and to contact the police or the 999 emergency line for assistance.
-- BERNAMA