Vehicle Theft Syndicate Replicates Serial Numbers On Stolen Engines

A car theft gang has been busted for providing a cheaper and more practical alternative to replacing the engines of heavy trucks and lorries that break down frequently on construction sites, The Star reported.

The engines came from a variety of stolen cars, including excavators, backhoes, and lorries of various classes. One of the key members of the syndicate would even change the chassis number of the vehicles, as was recently revealed when the syndicate was busted in Perak and Selangor with the arrest of 20 people over the age of 40.

The person who went by the name "doctor" was also adept at altering the engine numbers of stolen engines.

The suspect was tasked with erasing the serial number on a stolen engine block and replacing it with the original number of the old engine using a set of vintage letter and number punches he inherited from his grandfather along with other specially made tools. The tamperings were identical to the original markings, according to sources who spoke to The Star, and went undetected during routine inspections by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and Puspakom. “This way, the vehicle owners need not go through the legal and tedious process of submitting the documentation and compulsory inspection required for an engine change.

During the operation, mechanics, property owners, and car thieves were also apprehended. Meanwhile, authorities seized over 30 lorries, excavators, and other pieces of equipment worth over RM2 million. Police discovered that the syndicate would obtain a stolen vehicle from criminals before removing its engine and performing the change every time an order for an engine replacement was placed.

"This is a unique case where the vehicles were able to evade inspection by the authorities thanks to the expert engine serial number tampering. "It has continued for more than ten years. The vehicle owners avoided paying a sizable portion of the cost that they might have had to while the syndicate profited. According to sources, "the seized vehicles are being checked with the help of the Chemistry Department and police forensics unit," who also noted that police are tracking down additional vehicles whose engines had been replaced by the syndicate. The case is being investigated for dealing in stolen property and other offences under the Penal Code and Road Transport Act. Source: The Star