Penang: Police have launched a manhunt for a suspect who stole cables belonging to Telekom Malaysia (TM) in the Taman Nusantara Flat area here, early this morning, and fled the scene, forcing police to mount a high-speed chase for more than 50 kilometers from the Penang First Bridge exit to Sungai Petani, Kedah.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Northeast District Police Chief, ACP Abdul Rozak Muhammad, stated that a police team arrived at the location immediately after receiving information about the incident at 3:44 am. They spotted a pickup truck suspected of carrying the thief speeding towards the Tun Dr Lim Cheong Eu Highway.

"A Police Patrol Vehicle (MPV) detected the suspect's vehicle and pursued it from the Penang First Bridge exit towards Seberang Perai, then onto the North-South Expressway heading north," Abdul Rozak said in a statement today. The MPV officers attempted to intercept the vehicle, but the suspect ignored them and eventually skidded into a ditch near the Permata Hill Park residential area in Bedong, close to Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Abdul Rozak added that the suspect fled into a nearby forested area, leaving behind the vehicle. Further inspection revealed cable cutters and several cut cables in the back of the truck. Efforts to track down the suspect are actively underway, with the case being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.