Nine shop break-ins solved with arrest of security guards, 2 others
The suspects are believed to be a part of a syndicate that carries out shop burglaries and thefts, and have been active in Kuching as well as in Padawan since July this year.
KUCHING: Police recently solved nine cases of shop breakins with the arrest of four individuals, including the group’s mastermind.
Sarawak Police deputy commissioner Datuk Fisol Salleh said the suspects, aged between 19 and 40, were nabbed on Dec 15 following the week-long ‘Op Pintu’ carried out by the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
“The suspects are believed to be a part of a syndicate that carries out shop burglaries and thefts, and have been active in Kuching as well as in Padawan since July this year.
“Two of the suspects are unemployed, while the other two are working as security guards at a private company,” he said during a press conference at Sarawak contingent police headquarters here yesterday.
He said police were able to
Datuk Fisol Salleh
recover RM23,000 worth of stolen items, comprising seven motorcycle rims, two units of swing arm, two Brembo master brake pumps, two motorcycle exhaust pipes, one racing block set, one racing footrest set, two Samsung mobile phones, two professional hair clippers, five hair scissors, and a razor.
He said the group’s modus operandi was to drive around in a rented car to conduct surveillance on their target, before breaking into the premises by cutting the lock on the shop’s roller shutter using a steel cutter.
“One of them would stand guard while the others broke into the shop.
“This group would take around three to five minutes to carry out the burglaries before disappearing with the stolen goods.”
Fisol said three of the suspects were found to possess criminal records involving drug abuse, motorcycle theft and committing theft in a building.
He added that police were currently looking for four other individuals believed to be a part of the same syndicate.
He also urged members of the public to contact the police hotline 082-240 800 should they have any information about criminal activities.