Shah Alam police on the hunt for Latin American burglars
FUAD HARDINATA YAACOB
New Straits Times13 October 2017
SHAH ALAM: Committing crimes during prayer times - that was the modus operandi of a Latin American robbery gang now being hunted by police following a spate of burglaries over the past six months.
The gang would target homes belonging to Muslims and take advantage of the daily prayer times to rob their victims.
In a case on Oct 6, two gang members had tried to pry open the door of a house in Section 13 about 7.15pm.
However, they were busted by the home owner who then alerted the police.
Shah Alam district police chief Assistant Commissioner Shafien Mamat said a patrol car dispatched to the scene encountered the duo but the criminals managed to flee in a white Honda Accord.
“The patrol car gave chase but the robbers stopped and abandoned their vehicle at a nearby intersection before fleeing into a jungle. Efforts to track down the robbers for about an hour proved futile.
“However, not long after, the patrol team found the two men in a taxi not far from the jungle. When my men approached them, they became aggressive and kicked the door of the patrol car and injured a policeman. They managed to escape yet again.
A fake passport and a Citizenship Identity Card sought by the police to assist in the investigation of a home-breaking case at the Shah Alam District Police Headquarters. Pic by NSTP/ROSLIN MAT TAHIR
Shafien said policemen found the suspects’ passports in the taxi. Further investigations led the police on Oct 9 to a house in Cyberjaya, which was used as a store for all sorts of stolen items.
There, police found shoes, bags and branded watches, as well as foreign and local currency. In total, the seized items were valued at RM250,000.
Shafien said they believe the burglars would pack their loot before sending it to Colombia.
Shafien said police are on the lookout for a Colombian man named German Alberto and two of his accomplices, in their 20s.
“We urge the public or robbery victims to come to the Shah Alam district police headquarters to identify their belongings. There are two cases linked to the robbers, one in Section 13 and another in Kajang,” he said.
Investigations are ongoing under Section 397 of the Penal Code for gang robbery and the Immigration Act 1959/1963.Translated from Harian Metro © New Straits Times
