SEREMBAN, Malaysia: Police recovered six stolen vehicles and arrested four men, including two Bangladeshis, in an operation here last week.

The men, who were nabbed on May 13, used a new gadget, an electronic signal indicator, to neutralise the electronic systems of the cars they wanted to steal, allowing them to bypass the alarm system and any immobiliser.

State police chief Datuk Osman Salleh said this was the first time police had come across the gadget.

"The object is small and can be inserted into a vehicle's key ignition. Within 15 to 20 minutes, the thief is able to drive off.

"One of the suspects also claimed that the indicator is sold in China at RM15,000 (S$6,207) per piece," he said at the state police headquarters yesterday.

The four men are believed to be "linked" to a syndicate involved in stealing luxury cars.

Police got their break when one of the four, a 45-year-old, was arrested while driving one of the stolen vehicles in Sikamat, near here.

"He eventually led us to the three others and the recovery of the other stolen vehicles and the seizures of 36 road tax stickers, several keys, fake registration plates, various tools and the gadget," said Osman.

The five other vehicles were two more Hilux pickup trucks, a Toyota Vios, a Naza Ria multi-purpose vehicle and a Perodua Viva.

Osman said of the three pickup trucks, two had been reported stolen in Section 6, Shah Alam, on the day the arrests were made while the other was stolen in Nilai on Feb 25.

The total value of all the vehicles, he said, was RM400,000.

Of the road tax stickers, Osman said nine were genuine and were reported stolen while the rest were forgeries.

Osman said the four had been stealing vehicles in Negri Sembilan and Selangor since last year.

"The locals were the ones stealing and the foreigners were working at a car wash owned by one of the locals." -NST