Police have arrested a man who had trained his five-year-old son to steal at business premises around Lumut district.

Manjung police chief Asst Comm Mohd Jamil Osman said the suspect, 35, was detained at the Sitiawan Food Centre near here early Monday after police received reports from several victims.     

“The suspect would give his son RM100 to pretend to buy something from a shop or restaurant.

“If the victim leaves the counter to look for change, it was the signal for the boy to rummage through the counter and take whatever cash that can be found,” he told reporters in Lumut today.

On checking the suspect's car, police discovered RM4,700, three identification cards, five mobile phones, several bank cards and a plastic bag believed to contain cannabis.

“Our initial investigations found that the suspect was involved in several theft cases with one in Hilir Perak, four in Manjung and three cases in Perak Tengah,” he said.

Mohd Jamil said the suspect's son will be placed in his uncle’s care temporarily before being sent to a Childcare Centre in Penang after investigations were complete.

- Bernama