Housebreaking and theft gang busted in KK
KOTA KINABALU: The district police crippled a housebreaking and theft gang with the arrest of five of its members, including the leader.
Kota Kinabalu district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said one of the members of ‘Geng Yan’, aged 29, was still at large.
With the arrests, police believe they have solved 29 crime cases, particularly in the district, said Mohd Zaidi.
“Four of the detained suspects are under remand until March 31 for further investigation, while one is serving a prison sentence for four housebreaking cases,” he said at a press conference here on Monday.
Mohd Zaidi said that the six-member gang, all males, had been actively carrying out housebreaking activities since October, last year.
He also said that the group is headed by a 37-year-old man.
“Geng Yan was found to have perpetrated 15 housebreaking cases in Kota Kinabalu and Kota Marudu while 14 cases were carried out alone by members of the group or with others, bringing the total burglary cases to 29,” he said.
He added that the gang had stolen RM283,000 cash and valuable goods such as luxury and branded watches, handphones, laptops, television and others worth a total of RM353,000.
The gang also stole two fourwheel drive trucks and four iron safes from the houses they had burgled.
“Their modus operandi is identifying houses that are uninhabited before breaking into them,” Mohd Zaidi said.
And to avoid police detection, the suspects wore face masks, hooded jackets and gloves.
He said the group gained entry into houses by breaking the main door using devices such as “kuku kambing” and carried out their activities at night.
However, the police found two traces of fingerprints at a lawyer firm in Karamunsing which lost RM50,000 cash and valuables worth RM200,000, he said.
“One of the fingerprints belonged to the head of the gang,” he said.
He added that the suspect was apprehended in Menggatal on
March 12 and this was followed with a series of arrests of four more members of the gang aged between 34 and 40 years old.
Mohd Zaidi said that following the arrests, they confiscated various stolen items worth nearly RM200,000.
Among the items confiscated were iron safes that were discarded at Sungai Darau, Tuaran, and the stolen fourwheel drives, as well as two vehicles that were bought by cash from the sales of stolen goods, he said.
Mohd Zaidi also said that all the suspects had past offences and were all positive with syabu.
He also said that the suspects were members of Geng Gurun which was busted last year, and some of its members are still on trial but were active again using the name ‘Geng Yan’.
He added that Yan took over the leadership from Gurun, who was found guilty and sentenced to three years jail.
“All of them tested positive for drugs when they were arrested and they also used the proceeds from the burglary to buy drugs, to gamble and buy vehicles that were used to commit the crimes,” he said, adding they are charged under Section 457 of the Penal Code.