Boys start mother's car and ram into shop in Alor Setar

Curiosity got the better of two boys, 11 and 12, when in their attempt to start their mother's car that was parked in front of a telecommunication shop since 2pm, had caused it to ram into a shop at Vistana Road here this evening.

A worker from the shop, Nurul Nadira Abu Hassan, 23, saw the incident occur at around 3.20pm when she and another worker who were attending to a customer there.

"We then heard a loud engine noise, like someone was pressing the oil pedal.

"Soon afterwards the car crashed into the shop until part of the car was in the shop," she said when contacted by reporters at the scene.

Another witness, known as Zainuddin, in his 40's, said he was nearby the shop before he heard the loud crash that sounded like a bomb explosion.

Following that, he saw two boys, in fear, get out from the car and call their mother who was upstairs doing facial treatment.

"Their mother came down and was shocked to see the condition of her car before turning off the engine.

"From what we know, the mother had asked her children to start the car while waiting for her to come down...and instead this had happened," he said.

Meanwhile, the shop manager Md Shaifon Nizam Ahmad said he got to know of the incident at around 3.30pm when his worker contacted him.

The estimated value of loss is more than RM20,000, resulting in severe damage on the main window, furniture including the wall, and he said that he left it to the police to conduct further investigation.

However, Kota Setar Police Chief ACP Mohd Rozi Jinin said the case occurred when the driver, the mother of the children, who had completed her facial treatment at a shop, wanted to reverse her car but had pressed the oil pedal instead.

"At the same time, her child who was sitting in front, had accidentally pushed the gear, causing it to lurch forward and crash into the front of the telecommunication shop.

"Further investigation is being conducted to locate witnesses to facilitate investigation," he said when contacted by Bernama.