Police nab two robbers targeting elder women
Published on: Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Two men who had been robbing particularly older women since October here last year have been finally brought to heel by police. The two cigarette vendors, aged 22 and 30, were found positive for drugs when they were nabbed in separate locations here, following police surveillance and public tip-offs. The younger man, a paperless Suluk who is also the mastermind, was picked up at a rented unit in Sinsuran, together with his 18-year-old wife who is eight months' pregnant, about 11.30pm, on March 23.
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His accomplice, a Suluk with a MyKad, was captured at a hotel in KK Times Square with his 25-year-old girlfriend about 12.30am on March 24. A Toyota Caldina and a machete recovered from the car were also seized from the man. About 3pm the same day, police recovered a Rolex watch worth between RM10,000 and RM11,000 from a pawn shop at Sinsuran which was pawned for RM3,000. City Police Chief ACP M. Chandra, in a media conference here Monday, said with the arrests police have put a lid on the issue which has gained much social media attention. "We have enough evidence of at least two cases connecting them to it, justice is almost done," he said.
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The modus operandi used by the robbers was to target women above 50 heading back to their vehicles alone at isolated parking spaces. Most of the incidents took place just before nightfall. This month alone, two robberies which involved causing hurt were reported on March 11 and March 19, with evidence linking the two to the cases.
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The incident on March 11 took place behind the Standard Chartered Bank at Jalan Pantai about 5pm when a 62-year-old Kadazan woman returned to her car only to find two unidentified men in the rear seat of her car. One of the men held the Public Relations Secretary in a chokehold and a struggle ensued with the men punching the woman before withdrawing cash from an Automated Teller Machine with the ATM card and PIN number they had obtained from her. The woman was then taken for a ride around the city before being dropped off at the Segama area by the duo who fled with her valuables which included two diamond rings and a Rolex watch. The woman who sustained injuries to her neck and lips subsequently lodged a police report. A week after that, on March 18, a 50-year-old former bank officer also suffered the same fate when she returned to her car behind the Tong Hing supermarket at Jalan Gaya to find two men waiting in the rear seat of the vehicle about 10pm. The duo punched her, took her ATM card, forced her to give them her PIN number and withdrew RM5,000 with the card. The woman received outpatient treatment for her injuries and lodged a police report the next day. Chandra said three incidents involving a similar modus operandi were also reported in October and November last year. On Oct 12, a 35-year-old surveyor was beaten up, robbed of her valuables, including an ATM card and forced to reveal her PIN, after she was pushed into her car by two men at the parking space near Upperstar in Damai, about 7.15pm. On Nov 18 that same year, a 52-year-old internal auditor was also pushed into her car by two men who assaulted and robbed her of her valuables at a parking space near HSBC bank in front of the Suria Sabah shopping mall about 5pm. She received four stitches for injuries sustained on her forehead. On Nov 29, a 62-year-old Chinese housewife also suffered bruises after being pushed into her car by two men who made off with her ATM card, handphone and other valuables behind a shop premises in Damai, Luyang, about 7.30pm. "Based on the modus operandi, nearly all their victims were at least above the age of 50 except for one. All the incidents took place at isolated parking spaces when the victims were returning to or about to enter their vehicles," said Chandra. "The suspects would also choose locations which are near to banks, perhaps it being convenient to make withdrawals with the stolen ATM cards. "All the victims were alone, I think these are things which we probably have to ponder and take as precautionary measures to prevent untoward incidents. "Don't park in dark areas, don't walk alone especially at a vulnerable time and vulnerable area, be sensitive to your surroundings."If you are walking to your car and you see one or two people standing near it, it is better not to proceed. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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