BAGAN SERAI, June 2 — Police crippled a car and jewellery theft gang dubbed as ‘Geng David’ believed to be involved in a robbery case at a house at the Soon Lee Farm here on March 14, following the arrest of eight of its members including the 29-year-old gang leader.
Kerian district police chief Supt Omar Bakhtiar Yaacob said all the men, aged between 29 and 45, were arrested in several raids around Bagan Serai, between March 29 and May 21.
“Based on police intelligence and surveillance, the gang leader was picked up around the Bagan Serai area, while a gold pendant was found to have been mortgaged at a pawn shop in Ampang, Selangor.
“Upon further investigation, police also found a Perodua Myvi car that had been disassembled in a workshop in Simpang, Taiping,” he said during a press conference at the Kerian district police headquarters here today.
In the early morning incident on March 14, four masked men armed with machetes believed to be members of the gang robbed a family of four while they were having breakfast, and escaped in a Perodua Myvi belonging to the victims, causing a loss of about RM57,000.
Omar Bakhtiar said with the arrest of the suspects, the police had managed to solve several cases including robberies and shop break-ins in Kulim, Kedah, and Ampang, Selangor.
“The gang leader and other members were charged at the Parit Buntar court while some suspects were handed over to the Ampang police to assist with investigations of the case there under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code.
In a separate development, Omar Bakhtiar said police arrested four teenagers including two siblings as well as seized two motorcycles and two engine components after they were alleged to be involved in three motorcycle theft cases in Tanjung Piandang, Simpang Lima and Kuala Kurau, with losses amounting to almost RM5,000.
The four suspects, aged between 15 and 18 were picked up from their respective homes around Titi Serong at about 5 pm on May 26.
“Police investigations found that the modus operandi of the group led by a 15-year-old teenager was to roam around residential areas and steal unlocked motorcycles, with the parts cannibalised for personal use and the vehicle frames thrown into the river at Simpang Lima,” he said.
The teenagers have been charged at the Parit Buntar Magistrate’s Court under Section 379 of the Penal Code and awaiting sentencing pending probation reports. — Bernama
