KUALA LUMPUR: The 26-year-old man held on Monday for allegedly assaulting and robbing a woman at the Taman Mutiara MRT station has confessed to eight other offences.
According to police, this was apart from four offences that were already in the police record. The man, who works as an air-conditioning mechanic, is a member of the 08 Spider Gang and he has a tattoo of the gang’s logo on his torso.
Police records show that his past offences were for causing hurt with a weapon, gang robbery, drug abuse and drug possession.
He also tested positive for the drugs syabu and ecstasy when he was arrested.
The additional offences that he confessed to were for car break-ins, snatch thefts, robbery and burglary. These were committed in convenience stores, a City Hall office and a cellphone shop in Cheras.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said the suspect was in the midst of shaving his head when he was arrested at his rented flat in Taman Cheras at 8.10pm on Monday.
“He shaved his head to avoid being recognised. He had a full head of hair when the robbery was committed last Thursday.”
The suspect also switched off the lights in his flat to hoodwink the police into thinking that he was not home. “He only had the lights on when having a shower or his meals,“ Mazlan added.
The police also seized 19 cellphones, an undisclosed number of bank cards, hand tools, cutting machines and his motorcycle when they raided his home.
They also recovered the t-shirt he wore on the day of the robbery.
“He works alone and has been active in crime since 2014. He can even turn violent and aggressive if his demands are not met. When he runs out of cash, he resorts to crime,“ Mazlan said.
He is also a drug user so he needs money to feed his habit.
Police managed to identify the suspect from CCTV footage at the MRT station and a convenience store that he robbed only 15 minutes earlier.
At the convenience store, he held up a Bangladeshi and made off with 11 packets of cigarettes. He then headed for the MRT station where he robbed a 48-year-old bank officer before assaulting her.
Mazlan advised members of the public to be wary of their surroundings and to avoid quiet areas where criminals are likely to lurk.
He also urged public transport operators to deploy security guards and closely monitor the CCTVs to look for suspicious characters loitering in their stations and to take appropriate action before a crime was committed.
Meanwhile, security will be beefed up for commuters using public transport after the savage attack led to a public outcry.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke today said his ministry would ensure that the service providers would step up security features.
“I will discuss more thoroughly with all agencies to ensure security is improved at Mass Rapid Transit stations as well as the Light Rail Transit and commuter stations.”
“They (Prasarana) have also announced that passengers, especially women, can request from the station’s counter for a security officer to accompany them to their vehicle or other modes of transport.
“Secondly, a special team consisting those who are not in uniform would conduct their rounds at the stations. I have asked Prasarana to see this matter through at MRT and LRT stations that provide park-and-ride facilities..
“I have received feedback from the public that these areas are dark at night. We will ensure these areas are lit up as soon as possible.”
