SHAH ALAM: Police have denied a cautionary message circulating via popular messaging service WhatsApp, warning residents of a group of robbers preying on victims at a petrol station in Section 7.
The message, which had gone viral over the past few days, claimed that two robberies had taken place at the petrol station, one on March 18 and another on March 20.
In the first incident, the victims said they had been approached by a man, who was armed with a knife, during fuel-up.
The man then forced them to follow him to his car nearby, where two more armed accomplices were waiting.
The victims claimed they were then forced to hand over their mobile phones and wallets after being threatened with bodily harm. Despite that, they were beaten up before the robbers sped off in their getaway car.
Two days later, the victims claimed their friends were also robbed the same way at the same petrol station. The only difference was that the robbers had used a different car.
The victims later said they had lodged a police report on the incident and decided to circulate the message to warn Shah Alam residents of the new robbery method.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Shafien Mamat however was not convinced. He said Shah Alam police did not receive any police reports on the incidents.
"We have not receive any police reports and believe the message was being spread by irresponsible parties to intimidate the public.
"We have even carried out checks at the said petrol station and spoken to the staff there who denied the incidents." said Shafien.