Tragic double jeopardy for would-be burglar

KUALA TERENGGANU: It was a tragic double jeopardy for a man who attempted to break into a former military personnel's house in Bandar Baru Bukit Merbok in Kemaman here early today.

First, he was caught red-handed by the house owner in trying to enter the premises through the roof of the house in Jalan Amanda about 4am.

Wanting to escape, the intruder leapt off the roof, with a view to landing in the swollen monsoon drain nearby, only to hit his head against the concrete drain and be rendered unconscious.

The 29-year-old man was carried away by strong currents before his body was found at the bottom of the drain.

State CID chief ACP K. Manoharan said the would-be burglar was believed to have drowned after he had struck his head against the concrete monsoon drain while making his getaway.

He said the body was sent to the Kemaman Hospital, adding that the case was classified as sudden death.

Relating the incident, Manoharan said the burglar had attempted to break into the house when he was spotted by its 43-year-old owner who was alerted by noise on the roof.

He said, the owner was startled to see a man on the roof and before he could react, the intruder leapt off the roof to escape via the drain nearby.

"At that juncture, the intruder's head struck the concrete drain and he fell unconscious before being washed away by the water," he said.