Kota Kinabalu: A teenager was arrested after committing two offences of robbery and theft within six hours at Jalan Gaya, here, on Thursday.
The 18-year-old suspect was arrested about 7pm following a mobile phone theft near a supermarket.
Acting Kota Kinabalu Police Chief Supt. Kalsom Idris said the robbery case involved a 35-year-old woman.
He said the victim, a clerk, was on her way to a store from her workplace through the back alley of a bank around 1pm.
“The victim was suddenly approached by a man from behind who covered her mouth and knocked her down.
“The suspect then punched the victim’s face and head before taking her wallet and fleeing,” he told a press conference at the Kota Kinabalu District Headquarters (IPD), here, Friday.
Kalsom said in the second case, the suspect stole a Huawei mobile phone belonging to a 36-year-old woman.
“At the time of the incident, the victim was walking. Her cell phone was suddenly snatched by the suspect but the public noticed and chased after him.
“The police, who happened to be at the location where ‘Op Payung’ was held, joined in and arrested the victim,” he said.
Investigations found that the arrested suspect is the same suspect in the first case.
“He (suspect) also admitted to being involved in the robbery case.
“The suspect was detained and is being investigated under Section 394 of the Penal Code for intentionally injuring people to commit robbery and Section 379 of the same code for theft,” he said.
