Nabbed – women who snatched jewellery from toddlers

SEPANG: A group of women were detained in connection with a string of snatch theft and shoplifting cases at shopping malls here.

The four dressed inconspicuously to avoid suspicion but their crimes were far more sinister as they targeted only toddlers.

Sepang OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Aziz Ali said police received information that a string of snatch thefts had occurred at a shopping mall near Putrajaya on Oct 18.

“A woman lodged a report that her daughter’s gold chain was snatched.

“We went through the mall’s CCTV footage and found that a group of women were behind four snatch theft cases that day alone,” ACP Abdul Aziz told reporters in a press conference at the Sepang police headquarters yesterday.

“They were also seen stealing cosmetic products from a shop in the mall.”

He said police formed a task force and arrested four women, aged between 18 and 47, at the car park of the same mall the next day and seized jewellery and other items from them.

“Based on our investigations, the suspects were involved in similar cases in the northern states and were convicted for their crimes there,” said ACP Abdul Aziz, adding that the suspects were also believed to have been involved in such activities since 2010.

He also said the suspects have been charged in court for the theft cases.

In an unrelated case, ACP Abdul Aziz said police were tracking the whereabouts of an Indonesian man, known only as Johari, over the murder of a Bangladeshi man at a poultry processing plant in Kampung Datuk Abu Bakar Baginda on Oct 28.

“Based on our investigations, the victim was having an affair with the suspect’s wife.

"The suspect found out about the affair.

“He sent his wife back to Indonesia before committing the murder,” ACP Abdul Aziz said, adding that the suspect was believed to be on the run.

On another unrelated matter, ACP Abdul Aziz said police were looking for 30 people over various crimes committed in the district since 2005.

“These suspects are wanted for crimes including, robbery, theft, rioting, house break-ins and vehicle theft cases.

“We have uploaded the pictures of the suspects and their details on our Facebook page, IPD Sepang,” ACP Abdul Aziz said, urging anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 03-2052 9999 or visit the nearest police station.