KUCHING: A  woman  found out about her mechanic husband’s double life as a car thief when the police rang her yesterday morning to tell her that he was in hospital with head injuries and several broken ribs.

CRIME SCENE: Police officers inspecting the piece of wood used by the suspect to threaten his pursuers.

The mechanic had been caught red handed  with two accomplices trying to steal a car and was beaten up by the owner and his friends.

The incident occurred around 5.15am at Chonglin Park when the mechanic and two other men were spotted trying to hotwire a Toyota  Kijang belonging to an Indonesian businessman.

The businessman and four of his friends had arrived in the city three days earlier to undergo medical treatment and were staying in a rented unit at the commercial centre.

The group had woken up to perform their morning prayers when one of them went to the rear balcony for some fresh  air  and  saw three men  in  the  Kijang and attempting to start the vehicle.

All five of them rushed down and were soon joined by several other members of the public to confront the car thieves, who were taken by surprise.

Two of the thieves ran back to their vehicle and sped away from the scene, leaving the mechanic to face the mob by himself.

Armed with a piece of wood, the suspect initially threatened those around him but realising he was outnumbered, took off on foot across Jalan Tabuan towards a row of shops.

The mob caught up with him and administered some street justice on him before the police arrived to take custody of the suspect and sent him to Sarawak General Hospital for treatment.

He is detained to assist further investigation.