JOHOR BAHARU, Sept 8 — The two middle-aged lovers were not only passionate about each other but also apparently, driven by a need to steal luxury cars for sale to ready buyers.

Living life in the fast lane, the couple’s car-jacking spree in several states including Johor and Selangor bagged at least 10 vehicles.

On Aug 31, the police put the spoke in the wheels of the luxury car theft operation when the couple were detained at a car workshop in Masai here.

The suspects, aged 47 and 48, were believed to have been involved in an illegal vehicle transaction at the workshop in Taman Plentong about 3pm, when they were caught.

Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the raiding police team seized a Toyota Lexus, Volkswagen Beetle, Toyota Harrier and Toyota Vellfire from the workshop.

He believed the couple was linked to the theft of the vehicles before they ended up in the workshop.

“Initial investigations revealed that the Toyota Lexus was reported missing in Klang, Selangor while the Volkswagen Beetle was reported lost in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.

“With the couple’s arrest, at least 10 vehicle theft cases have been solved.  Further investigations are being conducted on the workshop and a syndicate involved in stealing luxury vehicles.

“Both    suspects tested positive for drugs and have previous criminal records,” he told reporters at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

Meanwhile in a separate case, Mohd Mokhtar said the police detained a man and seized a pistol loaded with six bullets at a shed in an oil palm plantation in Nusajaya last Thursday.

He said the 35-year-old suspect, who tested positive for methamphetamine was picked up about 5.30pm, based on public information.

The suspect has been remanded until Thursday for investigations under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 and Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960.  — Bernama