Swift justice: Cops nab two men in JB housebreaking case less than 24 hours after crime

JOHOR BARU, Jan 24 — Two men, including one with 20 previous records, were arrested less than 24 hours after committing a housebreaking in Taman Skudai Baru here on Tuesday.

Johor Baru North police chief Assistant Commissioner Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said police immediately launch a probe after a 28-year-old man, who is the victim, filed a report at 10.33am.

He said that during the incident in the pre-dawn hours, the victim who works in Singapore was at home but did not realise that his house was broken into.

“The victim later found a laptop, mobile phone, a gold bracelet and two helmets missing. He then filed a police report on at 10.33am on the same day,” he said during a press conference held at the Johor Baru North district police headquarters here today.

Balveer Singh said that checks found that the grill door of the victim’s house had been damaged and the front door of the house had been forced open.

“Through the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, the incident occurred at 5.45am, showing a masked man dressed in an orange shirt and wearing gloves breaking into the house and looking for valuables.

“Based on intelligence, police managed to identify and arrest two local men, aged 22 and 27, in the Larkin area near the city centre here at 11.30pm on the same day,” he said.

Balveer Singh said police raided a premises and recovered a laptop, the suspect’s car, a crossbody bag, a watch, a pair of earrings and a wooden bracelet.

“With the arrest of the two suspects, police believe that they have solved the case after six hours.

“A drug test also revealed that both suspects tested positive for methamphetamine abuse, while the 22-year-old suspect had 20 previous drug and criminal records,” he said, adding police are still investigating if the suspects had any accomplices.

Balbeer Singh said the suspects’ modus operandi is to damage the locks and main fence of their targeted house.

He said the suspects tend to target long vacant houses and also those whose owners are working in Singapore.

“With the arrest of the two suspects, police believe they have also solved several cases of housebreaking and theft in the Johor Baru North police district since the beginning of the year.

The case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code for housebreaking and Section 39C(1)(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug abuse.