Crime: A former security personnel of Jachung Security Services (JSS) is in police custody in Thimphu for scratching cars that were parked in the town.

Thimphu police apprehended the 40-year-old suspect from Kawajangsa, Thimphu on February 11 following a tipoff from an informant. The man has confessed to the crime.

Police started the search for the culprit following a complaint from a UNDP staff, who had parked his car near the BNB head office on December 13 last year. The scratch marks on his car read, “Don’t act big”.

On the same day, three other car owners had reported that their vehicles were also scratched.

Scratch marks such as “How do you feel?” and “Bastard” were found on the three cars parked near the Ethometo Plaza.

The man confessed that he was also responsible for the Ethometo Plaza case also.

The accused told police that he committed the act “out of frustration”. However, he did not tell police why he was frustrated.

A parking fee collector had caught the culprit red-handed, but he fled the scene when the former intervened. The clues provided to police by the parking fee collector had enabled police to nab the accused.

The case will be forwarded to the Office of Attorney General for prosecution. Police has framed a misdemeanor charge against the accused. He will face one to three years in prison if convicted.

MB Subba