3 ARMED ROBBERS SHOT DEAD

Foreign suspects wielding machetes charged at cops in forest

POLICE shot dead three men during an encounter at Puncak Bukit Mutiara in Tanjong Bungah here yesterday. The three men — believed to be foreigners in their 30s — had charged at the policemen with machetes in the 5am incident.

The policemen were responding to an emergency call by a female resident in the area that prowlers were attempting to break into her house.

When they arrived at the location, the three suspects fled into a forest.

“During the pursuit, the three men tried to turn on the policemen using parang,” said Penang’s Criminal Investigation Department (intelligence/operations) deputy chief Assistant Commissioner Rahimi Raais.

“The officers were forced to open fire.”

He said the identities of the dead men had yet to be established.

He added that the three were believed to be behind at least eight house break-in cases on the island’s east coast.

He said the forensic team was probing the location of the incident.

PIC BY MIKAIL ONG A team of forensic officers at the location where three robbers were shot dead by police officers in Puncak Bukit Mutiara, Tanjong Bungah, yesterday.