Shoplifting syndicate busted
KOTA KINABALU: A shoplifting syndicate comprising family members and friends, including a child, have been arrested by police.
Disclosing this here yesterday, city police chief ACP M. Chandra said a couple and their 11-yearold son, two women and four men between 18 and 42 years old were arrested by police for involvement in five shoplifting cases between November last year and February this year.
Chandra said two Pakistani shop owners, in their 20s and 40s, were also detained by police for allegedly buying the stolen goods from the suspects.
He said the arrests were made following a police report lodged by a hypermarket manager on Feb 8.
"According to the police report, a group of men and women entered the hypermall at Indah Permai on Feb 7 and stole about RM900 worth of shampoo, lotion and perfume.
"Investigation led police to a settlement in Telipok and raided three houses and arrested nine people between 2am and 3am on Feb 10.
"A couple of hours later, police detained two foreign shop owners in Tuaran to assist in our investigation," Chandra said at a press conference at the Karamunsing police station here yesterday.
Police investigation revealed that the suspects would enter hypermalls acting as customers, he said.
"The women would steal items from the racks while the men would act as observers.
"Other times, they would place the items inside the basket but later hid the goods in their clothes when no one was looking," said Chandra.
He said investigations showed that the suspects had been involved in five theft cases with the stolen items were worth about RM7,000.
"Most of the stolen items have been sold to the two foreign shop owners in Tuaran while some were for personal consumption," he said.
Chandra added all the suspects had been remanded for investigation under Section 380 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, a couple was arrested by police for involvement in 15 house break-in cases and stealing about RM8,000 worth of items.
The suspects, both aged 29, were nabbed by police in Putatan following a tip-off on Feb 12.
Chandra said investigation revealed that the woman would rent a car and drive her husband and another accomplice to commit housebreaking.
"The woman would also act as an observer," said Chandra, adding that the suspects had been involved in 15 housebreaking cases around the state capital, Penampang and Papar.
Police are currently looking for the third suspect and the case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code.