Gang targeting 24-hour stores busted

> Mastermind among 7 held for spate of robberies in Klang Valley

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have busted a gang notorious for robbing 24-hour convenience stores following the arrest of seven suspects on Nov 17.

Dubbed “Gang Surya”, the gang members, aged between 17 and 26, had been active for six months and targeted outlets in the Klang Valley.

Cheras district police chief ACP Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said a special task force from the Cheras serious crime division nabbed the suspects, including the mastermind.

“They entered 24-hour convenience stores on the pretext of buying cigarettes in the wee hours while wearing full-face helmets to avoid detection before robbing them,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“They can be described as an aggressive gang as they threatened cashiers and convenience store workers with beer bottles and meat cleavers.

“There were cases when these culprits hit the cashiers.”

Abdul Ghani said the mastermind was picked up at his house while the remaining six suspects were nabbed at a restaurant in Taman Maluri and at a People’s Housing Project in Cheras.

“Also arrested was a Bangladeshi who bought the stolen cigarettes from the gang members. We believe the cigarettes were taken from the convenience stores.

“We believe this gang was involved in 13 convenience store robbery cases in Cheras, three in Wangsa Maju, three in Dang Wangi, one in Ampang Jaya, and one in Kajang.”

He said two cars, a meat cleaver, helmets with visors, clothes used during robberies, condoms and a baton were seized from them.

Abdul Ghani also advised owners and employees of 24-hour outlets to be more careful and vigilant when dealing with customers who come in during the early hours of the morning, especially those wearing full-face helmets.