Burglars strike gold in Ipoh ‘warehouse’

Secret compartment found – RM120k valuables taken

IPOH: Burglars who broke into a double-storey house in Buntong were so meticulous they even found a secret compartment in a room.

They managed to steal valuables worth RM120,000, including several gold bars.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Ali Tamby said the house at Taman Buntong Mutiara had been left unoccupied by the owner for two years and used only as a warehouse.

The owner – a 36-year-old businessman – stopped by the house at about 10am on Tuesday and found the sliding door broken.

“He went inside and found belongings strewn on the floor and bed,” ACP Mohd Ali said in a statement.

“One smartphone, two watches and 400g of gold bars were stolen.

“Some of his belongings, kept in a secret compartment upstairs, were dumped in a prayer room on the ground floor,” he added.

ACP Mohd Ali said the businessman last set foot in the house on Monday.

He did not install CCTV at the house.

Police managed to lift some fingerprints from the premises.

In an unrelated case, ACP Mohd Ali said a 41-year-old businesswoman lost belongings worth RM175,000 in a burglary.

The incident is believed to have occurred between 9am and 6.30pm on Tuesday at her home in Desa Tambun Indah.

“She returned home to find the grilles of the window and door cut.

“Her passport, several branded bags, jewellery, a Rolex watch and assorted currency were missing,” he said, adding that the burglar left behind a cutter, steel rod, gloves and a bag.