KUALA LUMPUR: If you have lost your identity card, just report accordingly and do not cook up excuses, say police.

Gombak district police chief Asst Comm Zainal Mohamed Mohamed said 71 people had been charged this year with lodging false reports over the loss of their identity cards to avoid getting fined.

He said the false reports were lodged by individuals aged between 20 and 40, according to Bernama.

“Investigations showed complainants used false excuses like falling prey to robbers.

Court action has been taken against 71 people and two cases are still under investigation,” he added.

He was speaking at a media conference after attending a ceremony to dispose of case materials at the Gombak police headquarters by Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Asst Comm Baharudin Mat Taib here yesterday.

In another development, SAC Baharudin said police had smashed a car theft syndicate with the arrest of 10 people aged between 35 and 62 in Ops Lejang from June 17 to last Wednesday.

“The suspects were arrested in several locations in Perak, Pahang, Kedah and Johor.

“With the arrests, we have solved 23 cases – eight in Johor, seven in Selangor, four in Perak, three in Kedah and one in Pahang,” he said.