TAPAH, Nov 8 — Nearly a dozen people gathered yesterday at the rundown house-cum-workshop where four people were believed to have been murdered to retrieve vehicles and tools.

Under police supervision, they collected vehicle parts including engines and car bonnets as well as tools like winches and sledgehammers.

The workshop was operated by a 57-year-old mechanic. He and his elder son were believed to be involved in the murders. Police picked up the duo, the mechanic’s wife and their younger son two weeks ago. The four were still remanded by police to facilitate investigations.

Tapah police chief Supt Som Sak Din Keliaw said those who owned the vehicles and tools were allowed to claim their belongings after they made a request to police on Friday.

“They had sent their vehicles to be fixed at the workshop. They asked us if they could remove their vehicles to be sent to another workshop,” he said.

Three lorries and a crane were used to transport several items — the largest of which was a Mitsubishi Pajero.

The workshop operator’s eldest daughter, aged 23, who was now under the care of the Welfare Department, was also present to oversee removal of the items and to feed the family’s dogs, chickens and ducks.