KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police arrested a man for allegedly stealing metal drain covers here and are on the hunt for his accomplice.

Kota Kinabalu police chief Asst Comm Habibi Majinji said they had received several reports about the missing drain covers.

He said in the latest report was on July 18 from a man who said the drain covers in front of his house were missing.

Following the report, a police patrol stopped a vehicle near a supermarket in Inanam near here at about 4am the next day.

ACP Habibi said policemen nabbed the 22-year-old driver but a passenger inside managed to escape following a brief scuffle.

"We also found about 30 pieces of metal drain covers, a metal cutter and a saw, among others," he said in a statement on Sunday (July 21).

He said the escaped suspect, a local man in his 20s from Telipok, is being hunted.

"Anyone with information on the suspect are urged to come forward and assist police investigations," ACP Habibi said.