Loud gunshot wakes Sabah villagers as suspected cattle thieves flee with livestock

At approximately 2am on Thursday, armed cattle thieves struck the village of Kampung Kamansi in Bingkor, waking its residents with a loud gunshot. The thieves used a firearm to shoot livestock before hastily fleeing the scene with their ill-gotten gain. Jeffrisius Sipin, a cattle owner whose mother was the first to notice the chaos, recounted the chilling incident.

“My mother heard a loud blast at about 2am. After she shouted, the vehicle used by the thieves immediately sped off from the scene,” Jeffrisius recounted. The community was initially puzzled by the sudden and intense sound, but the evidence soon became clear. An inspection revealed that the barbed-wire fence had been intentionally cut, and bloodstains on the ground near the perimeter fence confirmed that the animals had been shot at close range before being loaded onto the getaway vehicle and driven away.

The brazen nature of the crime, particularly the use of firearms, has left villagers on edge, fearing for their safety as livestock theft cases grow increasingly aggressive. Jeffrisius spoke on behalf of the village community, urging the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and relevant enforcement agencies to increase night patrols and surveillance around Kampung Kamansi and neighboring settlements.

He emphasized that proactive policing is crucial to combating organized rural crime, restoring public confidence, and safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of local residents.