A teenager has been tied to a tree by villagers, after he was caught allegedly trying to break the lock and chain around a boat.
The boat’s owner, Rahim Yusoff, had been alerted that locals had witnessed the teen loitering near the shed where the boat was kept. When he arrived at where the boat was moored, he discovered that it was already in the water, and that the suspect was trying to smash the chain in order to abscond with it.
Apprehending the suspect with the help of a few bystanders, they then tied him to a tree (fair enough) before calling the police.
Rahim told The Star that is was not the first time his boat had been preyed upon by thieves. They often loiter the area looking for vulnerable vessels to steal, or siphon petrol from. He added that his boat is his only source of income, and if he were to lose the boat, he would face financial ruin.
The 18-year-old suspect is now being held by police for four days while officers investigate the case.
