KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Four armed men, all Indonesians, were killed in a shootout with police as they made their getaway following a RM40,000 lunchtime robbery in Wangsa Maju yesterday.

Police seized two revolvers, two parang and a bag filled with money from the suspects.

City Criminal Investigations Department chief  Senior Assistant Commissioner Rusdi Mohd Isa said police on patrol in the vicinity were alerted of a robbery in progress and rushed to the scene.

They spotted a man lying on the street and a car speeding off.

Police gave chase but the occupants in the car fired several shots at the pursuing police.

They however forced the car to stop and in the ensuing shootout, the robbers were killed.

Police found 11 spent casings at the scene.

The suspects, aged between 37 and 49, were believed to have been involved in a spate of armed robberies in several states.

Police have not disclosed the identities of those killed as follow-up operations were underway to apprehend remaining gang members.

They however confirmed that all were from Indonesia with one holding permanent resident status.

Rusdi said the victim was a Chinese national who was on his way to the Malaysia Institute of Translation and Books (ITBM) for a business meeting.

He had earlier withdrawn money from a bank in Sri Gombak and hailed a ride-share cab.

He did not realise he was being tailed. When he arrived at his meeting place, a Honda Civic pulled alongside and two men armed with parang got out and confronted him.

They grabbed the bag containing the money and in the ensuing struggle, the Chinese national was shoved to the ground.

Meanwhile, a project executive, who works nearby known only as Faridzul, said he was in his office when he heard shots being fired. Faridzul, who was about 10-metres away, said he saw a man in plainclothes pursuing another on foot.

In the ensuing shootout, the man collapsed in a pool of blood.

"It seemed like people in the area were somewhat calm, probably because they thought it was fireworks,” he said. 

A businessman, known as Heng, who intended to go to ITBM to translate documents, pulled up just as the gunshots rang out.

"Police cars had surrounded the Honda Civic and they started shouting at bystanders to stop taking pictures and videos.

A cashier at a petrol station nearby, who requested anonymity, said she thought the sound of gunfire was fireworks. "I was about to run outside when my colleague stopped me saying it was gunshots,” she said.