The Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court was told that the accused who allegedly stole a mobile phone at Low Yat Plaza, admitted to the offence when questioned after the incident.

Chief security guard at Low Yat Plaza, Kamarudin Shariff, 55, said the accused, Shahrul Anuar Abdul Aziz, who was caught by members of the public at the mall, admitted to stealing the mobile phone when interrogated in his office.

He said, he then ordered the accused to remove all items which were in his possession including the mobile phone allegedly stolen, but the phone was not with him.

"Instead, the accused only took out money amounting to RM1.60 from his pants pocket. He failed to produce his identity card on the grounds that he lost it when he was robbed the previous day," he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor R Siamalah.

Kamarudin is the fourth prosecution witness to testify in the trial of unemployed Shahrul Anuar Abdul Aziz, 22, who was charged with stealing a mobile phone worth RM800 at Techasia Boutique, Low Yat Plaza, Bukit Bintang, at 4.47pm last July 11.

Shahrul Anuar (photo) was charged under Section 380 of the Penal Code which carries imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine, if found guilty.

Kamarudin who has served the mall for the past two years, said he then contacted the Dang Wangi police headquarters for further action.

When asked about the incident, Kamarudin said he saw a salesman from Techasis Boutique, See Ming Ho, helping to arrest the accused when the latter fell in front of an escalator while running to escape from the shop.

He said the salesman told him that the accused came to the shop to purchase a Lenovo phone worth RM800, but took the phone when he turned his back.

During cross-examination by lawyer Nur Hayati Don Omar, representing the accused, Kamarudin agreed that he did not submit all copies of the closed circuit television (CCTV) recordings including the scene of the incident to the police.

He said there were more than 200 CCTVs in the plaza, and he knew where the CCTVs were positioned.

Besides Nur Hayati, the accused is represented by three other lawyers, Mohammad Yahya Zakaria, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman and Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz.

The hearing before Magistrate Nur'Aminahtul Mardiah Md Nor continues tomorrow.

- Bernama