A group of men beat a suspected motorcycle thief to death on Saturday in what appeared to be mob justice.
The 30-year-old man was attacked by a group of 20 to 30 men at Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan in Malaysia last Friday. The mob held back only after a traffic policeman stopped to investigate the commotion. By that time, the suspect, who was still standing, was bleeding from injuries to the head and face. He died on Sunday at Kemaman hospital.
The suspected thief, from Dungun, had prior convictions and was also believed to have been a drug addict. State Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commisioner Mohd Fauzi Abduri said four men, aged between 30 and 40, were arrested in Kampung Chabang, Kertih on Sunday. He said they were being investigated for murder.
Initial investigations showed that the victim was believed to have stolen a motorcycle in Kampung Chabang early on Saturday. The motorcycle owner sought the help of his brother and three friends to trace the motorcycle and the thief.
The four men later spotted the thief and cornered him in Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan, where they were joined by a bigger group.
Fauzi warned the public not to take the law into their own hands.
