[UPDATE July 20]  Five days after the car went missing in Genting, Malaysian police recovered it from a condominium in Selangor.

To avoid detection, the thief allegedly pasted large stickers on the car and also removed the Singapore-registered car plate, Sin Chew Daily reported on Wednesday (July 20).

The police also commended the sharp-eyed security guard who alerted the authorities after noticing the car in the condominium’s car park.

In an earlier report by The New Paper, the car owner said he'd rather have his three-year-old car back than claim total loss insurance, as the latter would only give him a fraction of the car's retail price.

"The time and effort that I have put into maintaining my vehicle is really more than what the insurance would pay," he said.

Yeo was even willing to pay the thieves in return for his car, in the event they are tracked down.

"I know that there's a market for things like these, so I want to see if I can find them and negotiate for my car back."

A weekend getaway to Genting Highlands didn't end well for one Singaporean man who had his car stolen. 

Damien Yeo told AsiaOne on Monday (July 18) that he had driven his Honda Civic Type-R to Genting Highlands with his girlfriend and two other friends last Friday. 

The 28-year-old operations executive then parked his vehicle at a shopping mall called SkyAvenue at about 12pm that day. 

He returned to the car park the next evening to find that his car had gone missing. 

"I spent about two hours going through the carpark over and over again [sic]," Yeo said. 

After confirming with the mall management that his car was no longer on their premises, the man lodged a report with Malaysian police. 

Hoping to hear some good news from the authorities, Yeo and his friends stayed in Genting until Sunday afternoon. Alas, there was no word on the whereabouts of his car.

Yeo then rode his friend's car back to Singapore that night.

In the CCTV footage that Malaysian police showed him, the Honda was last seen being driven down the mountain at about 2am on Saturday. 

The man estimates his Honda to be worth about $220,000, adding that someone had offered him $200,000 for the car just two weeks ago. 

According to Sgcarmart, a Honda Civic Type R registered in 2018 is marketed at around $168,000, while another similar model registered in 2019 is marketed for $198,999.

Yeo also posted photos of his car in various Facebook groups in a bid to appeal for more information regarding its whereabouts. 

At the time of writing, his post on Facebook group SG Road Vigilante has received over 1,000 reactions and almost 500 comments. 

In particular, several netizens noted that the car model is rather popular with thieves in Malaysia. 

"With a [modified] car like this, you should be [extra] careful and install [an] anti-theft lock," one netizen wrote. 

Despite netizens' attempts to help, Yeo admitted that he doesn't have high hopes about getting his car back, "based on other people's experiences". 

At the time of writing, the man said he is not sure if he'll be able to make any insurance claims for his stolen car. 

Preventing car theft in Malaysia 

Aside from using steering wheel locks, another way to deter your car from being stolen is to keep all windows and doors locked, and not leave any valuable items inside the vehicle which may tempt potential thieves. 

It's also advisable to leave your luxury car at home. 

When driving in Malaysia, you should park in well-lit and heavily trafficked areas. 

Don't forget to check your vehicle's insurance policy. If you drive across the Causeway frequently, it's a good idea to get a car insurance policy that offers coverage in Malaysia.

ALSO READ: 'Why KSL no security?' Suspected wheel theft on Singapore-registered car in JB shocks netizens

claudiatan@asiaone.com

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