Port Dickson district police chief Aidi Sham Mohamed said the 32-year-old man filed the report around 9.30 last night, claiming he had withdrawn RM45,000 from a bank around 2.30pm yesterday to pay his workers’ salaries.

He claimed he had kept the money in a duffel bag and placed it under the driver’s seat of his vehicle before leaving for Port Dickson.

He said he went to his uncle’s house in Lukut to hand over some RM4,700 and stopped at a restaurant in Taman Sentosa for a meal, leaving the money in the car.

He claimed the money and duffel bag were missing when he returned, although none of the vehicle’s windows were broken, Aidi said.

After being questioned, police found out that the manager had made up the story after losing the RM39,800 at a gambling centre.

Police are now investigating the man for filing a false police report under Section 182 of the Penal Code, under which a person found guilty can be jailed six months, fined, or both.