Three men held for robbery, carjacking in Penang
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police busted a vehicle theft and armed robbery gang with the arrest of three suspects in Taman Sai Gin here early yesterday morning.
Seberang Perai Tengah police chief ACP Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid said police were patrolling Jalan Soo Bhan Keng in Bukit Tengah here at 5am when they came across a Honda Accord with three men behaving suspiciously.
"Nonetheless, the driver sped off with police in pursuit until they reached Taman Sai Gin when the suspects stopped the car and the three men tried to flee. However, police gave chase and overpowered them after a brief struggle," he said when contacted here today.
Nik Ros said police found three backpacks containing various tools for car theft as well as robbery in the car of the three suspects who were aged between 27 and 33 and seized cameras, mobile phones, cash and syabu.
He said when police inspected the car, it was found to be stolen and following police questioning, they also recovered a Proton Wira believed to have been stolen recently.
He said the gang was believed to be involved in robberies in the district and in Kulim, Kedah and initial investigations revealed that they were responsible for 15 cases last month.
The three suspects who tested positive for drugs and had past criminal records were remanded for five days and police are tracking down two other gang members known as Mat Leh and Kuang, he said.
Meanwhile, in GEORGE TOWN, police detained a 21-year-old suspect believed to have been involved in a robbery and injuring a 31-year-old jogger in Persiaran Karpal Singh here yesterday.
The suspect was detained after raiding his house in Bagan Jermal, Butterworth at 12.50am this morning, said Northeast district police chief ACP Anuar Omar.
He said in the incident at Persiaran Karpal Singh at 10am, a man was injured in his left cheek and received 13 stitches as well as suffered a swollen left hand after being assaulted by two men when he refused to surrender his mobile phone and cash to them.
Police are looking for another suspect involved in the incident. — Bernama