A dramatic video showing a policeman hanging off the side of a moving vehicle has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention to a high-risk arrest carried out in Kuching.
Police have since confirmed that the incident did take place and involved a suspect attempting to evade arrest while officers were closing in on him.
According to Kuching OCPD Assistant Commissioner Alexson Naga Chabu, the incident occurred at around 1:30 PM on Saturday (31 January), along Jalan KuchingāSerian, heading towards Kuching city centre.
Attempting to detain suspect of a house break-in case
Police were attempting to detain a 35-year-old man driving a white Perodua Viva, who had been identified as a suspect in an ongoing investigation. The man was linked to a house break-in case on Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho, reported on January 30, as well as multiple motorcycle thefts around Bandar Kuching.
ACP Alexson said the suspect refused to cooperate and became aggressive when officers moved in, attempting to escape the scene. During the struggle, a police officer sustained injuries to several parts of his body while trying to stop the suspect from fleeing.
Alexson naga chabu
Dashcam footage later shared shows the suspectās vehicle being gradually overtaken by police officers in plainclothes driving an unmarked car. Moments later, the suspect suddenly swerves to the right and accelerates forward, with a policeman seen clinging to the side of the moving vehicle.
As the car continued moving, the officer lost his grip and was thrown onto the road, rolling onto the tarmac as other officers continued their pursuit.
The suspect was eventually apprehended after crashing into several vehicles on a flyover while trying to escape once again.
Further checks revealed that the suspect tested positive for drugs following a urine screening and had a lengthy criminal history, with 20 prior offences on record.
Watch the video below:
