KLANG: A hardcore criminal on police's wanted list was caught after a failed attempt to rob a mobile phone shop in Taman Desa Permai 2, Meru, here today.
He was captured after a scuffle with members of the public, which also saw shots being fired by the robber.
Klang Utara police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the 44-year-old man, with a criminal record for robbery, had entered the shop alone at 4.30pm.
Brandishing a Colt .45 semi automatic pistol, he instructed the other customers to sit down.
"He then told the shop owner to take out all the cash from the drawer and said he wanted to choose several mobile phones from the glass display," said Yusoff.
However, as the robber bent down to peer at the display, the shop owner grabbed the robber's head and smashed it into the glass display.
In retaliation, the suspect fired a shot and ran out of the shop.
The owner and a customer gave chase along the five foot way and caught up with the robber before pinning him down.
During the struggle, the robber managed to fire off several more shots but didn't hit his captors.
One of the shots however almost hit a child standing nearby. The bullet hit the outside ceiling as well as an air-conditioning compressor.
Yusoff said the suspect, originally from Batu Arang in Sungai Buloh, had gone to the mobile phone shop using his sister's motorcycle.
He said the suspect will be investigated under the Firearms Act 1971 (Increased Penalties).