BATU PAHAT, MALAYSIA - Police believe they have solved 20 cases house break-ins and car thefts here with the arrest of a couple early Tuesday.

The 34-year-old man and 27-year old woman were nabbed at a hotel here about 5am after police received a tip-off.

"They were hiding on the roof of the hotel, behind a water tank," district police chief Assistant Commissioner Ibrahim Mohd Aris said.

"The man then led us to a car where we found equipment to break into houses and cars including a blowtorch, wire cutters, Allen keys and a machete."

He said further investigation showed that the car was stolen on May 14 while the road tax was also stolen.

"The man is also wanted for attempting to ram a police patrol vehicle last November," Ibrahim said, adding that the couple were drug addicts.

He said police believed at least three of the suspects' accomplices were still at large.

Both suspects had been remanded to facilitate investigations.

--NST