MALACCA: Police crippled a gang of robbers named "Geng Rantau Muin" with the arrest of 15 Indonesians, including their 24-year-old leader.
State police chief Datuk Ramli Din said police also seized various stolen items and cash amounting to RM80,000 during their operations on Monday.
"We arrested four suspects, including the gang leader Abdul Muin, after a police patrol conducted a check on a car in Taman Merdeka, Batu Berendam at 4am on Monday.
"Several items, believed to be obtained from their robberies were also seized," he told a press conference at the state police headquarters here today.
Ramli said subsequent investigation led to the arrest of another four suspects in another car and seven more suspects at a flat here in Taman Cheng Ria.
“We also traced their other hideout at a shop house in Taman Merdeka where we uncovered more items believed to be obtained from their robberies," he said.
He said weapons used by the gang to commit the crime were also found hidden in bushes in Batu Berendam.
Among the weapons and tools seized included parang, cutters, knives, screwdrivers and gloves.
"Other items such as laptops, cameras, mobile phones and about RM19,000 cash were also seized," he said.
Ramli said the gang had been active for about four to five months. With their arrest, police can close six of 13 cases of armed robbery reported in the state.
He said the gang's modus operandi involved breaking into homes via the back door in the wee hours of the morning. They would tie up the occupants before threatening them with parang and knives before demanding for valuables.
“The majority of the suspects arrested did not have legal documents while five of them had entered the country legally as contract workers,” he said, adding that the suspects were aged between 20 and 42.
"We will continue to probe if there are other suspects involved in the crime," he added.
The case is being investigated under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for armed gang robbery.