THE TRACKER
Singaporean family uses phone app to track down snatch thief
PETALING JAYA: Technology won the day when a group of snatch thieves were arrested after the victim used a smartphone application to trail their whereabouts.
The thieves were detained barely an hour after robbing a Singaporean family of RM45,000 worth of belongings.
In the 3.15pm incident on Saturday, 51-year-old Liu Wai Yaw and his family were travelling in a car along Jalan Bukit Bintang when someone on a motorcycle smashed the passenger side window at a traffic light, and grabbed a handbag from Liu’s wife before fleeing the scene.
Liu, who was driving, tried to chase the robbers but failed.
Despite being shaken by the ordeal, on his 19-year-old son’s suggestion, he tracked down the men via his wife’s phone, which was in the bag to a flat near Bandar Tun Razak Smart LRT station in Cheras.
“We also called the police for help when we were on the way there. Once we reached the place, I went looking for the men with my son,” he said adding that he told his wife and 14-year-old daughter to wait in the car.
He said he saw a group of men discussing something and immediately recognised a few of them.
As expected, the group scattered when Liu attempted to approach them but his son managed to grab one of them who was still holding his wife’s purse.
The rest fled on two motorcycles and on foot.
“The police were also quick to respond. They arrived on time,” he said, adding that the man was handed over to them.
Liu said all the money was still there and believed that the men were dividing their share when he arrived.
He said the man who was arrested later showed them where they had thrown the passports and credit cards that were in the purse.
In the incident, Liu’s wife suffered cuts on her legs and hands, while his son was bitten by the man whom he had helped arrest.