MIRI, Oct 18 — The police will investigate whether there was a breach of standard operating procedures (SOP) following allegations that a delayed police response had allowed two thieves to escape, said Miri Police Chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu.
This comes after a complaint by a netizen went viral on social media on October 14, who expressed frustration over the slow response of the Miri Police to an ongoing house-breaking incident in Pujut 8.
The netizen claimed to have witnessed the crime unfolding in real time but was disappointed by the delayed arrival of the police.
In a statement yesterday, Alexson explained that the delay occurred because the patrol officers from the Tanjong Lobang station were attending to another case at the time.
“The delay in response time arose from the coincidence of the patrol sector where the officers on duty from Tanjong Lobang station was attending to another case.
“The MPV team later responded and proceeded to the scene at Pujut 8c as instructed by the operation centre as reported by the complainant,” he said.
Alexson assured the public that a review of the SOP would be conducted to determine if there were any violations in handling this case.
The complainant had posted his frustration on Instagram, stating that he made four calls to the police over the course of nearly an hour, beginning at 12.18am, when he first spotted two individuals breaking into a house opposite his own.
Despite his repeated requests, the police patrol team did not arrive in time.
By the third call, at 12.49am, the netizen reported that the thieves had removed the grill on the house’s window and were moving towards Pujut 9.
He said the suspects could have been apprehended had the police arrived sooner.
At 1.14am, during his final call, the complainant was informed that the patrol team had been diverted to another area, as the thieves had already left the scene. — The Borneo Post
