PETALING JAYA: A handbag thief died after crashing into a gate at the General Operations Force camp in Batu Kawa, Kuching, following a robbery attempt yesterday.

The incident occurred when the 32-year-old suspect attempted to escape after snatching a woman’s handbag but collided with the metal gate of the police camp, Free Malaysia Today reported.

In a statement, yesterday, Padawan district police chief Irwan Hafiz Radzi said the suspect had targeted a woman who was riding pillion with her child on her husband’s motorcycle at approximately 1.30pm.

“Medical officers confirmed that the suspect had died on the scene,“ he was quoted as saying.