JOHOR BARU, Feb 27 — Police have today caught the “chubby” suspect that was believed to be involved in nine snatch theft cases within a two-hour period at the Second Link Expressway on Monday.
The suspect, notoriously known as “Mat Dugong” due to his size, was involved in more than 200 cases in the southern part of the state for the past several years.
A state-level police source said that the 33-year-old man was nabbed early today by a joint police serious crimes task force from the Johor contingent and also Iskandar Puteri district.
“We (police) received information that the suspect works as a mechanic at a motorcycle garage in Taman Pancasila in Saleng, Senai.
“The joint police task force then conducted the raid at the premise at 12.25am where the suspect was arrested,” said the source to Malay Mail today.
On early Monday morning, a suspect described as “chubby” on a superbike had robbed nine victims within a two-hour period along the Second Link Expressway near Iskandar Puteri, with losses amounting to RM2,500.
All the victims, ages 24 and 36, were on small capacity motorcycles en route to their workplace in Singapore or returning from the republic between 5.30am and 7.15am.
The source said investigations revealed that the suspect had a previous record for snatch theft and robbery in the state.
He revealed that the suspect, known to be notorious and also elusive at one time, was also placed under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959 in 2017.
“The suspect had also tested positive through a urine test for amphetamine and methamphetamine abuse,” said the source, adding that the suspect was sent to the Tanjung Kupang police lock-up for further investigation.
Johor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Md Yusof Ahmad confirmed the arrest of the suspect in connection with Monday’s snatch theft cases along Second Link Expressway.
“Police are investigating the case and also the suspect’s involvement in other similar cases,” he said when contacted by Malay Mail today.
In May 2017, the suspect was caught in the Johor Baru city centre after months of giving police the slip many times on his mid-capacity Kawasaki ER6N motorcycle.
This was despite police posting wanted photos of him caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) for the past year.
During that time, the suspect’s motorcycle crashed into a car as they were being pursuit by a police patrol car.
Police recovered an array of bags, wallets, cash, Singapore work permits, passports and mobile phones from them.
In 2014, the suspect was on the police radar for more than a year and was wanted in three police districts — Johor Baru South, Johor Baru North and Iskandar Puteri — where he is believed to be involved in more than a 200 snatch theft cases from 2016 and early 2017.
