ALOR STAR: A family of robbers’ elation at having pulled off a RM100,000 heist from a jewelry store in the state capital on Saturday, was shortlived when they wre nabbed by police three days later.
The robbers, comprising two brothers, their elder sister as well as a cousin, thought they managed to get away scot-free, failing to realise that the jewelry store owners managed to snap a photo of one of the robbers.
Kedah Criminal Investigation Department chief, Senior Assistant Commissioner Mior Farid Al Athrash Wahid said, in the 12.25pm incident, two men wearing helmets and masks had burst into the Jalan Kota shop.
One of the men used a hammer to smash a display case while laying a pistol on the counter to intimidate the staff.
“Another robber then scooped up the jewelry into a slig bag, before both fled with their loot.
“At the time of the robbery, there were four staff in the shop. None of them reacted, fearing for their safety,” Mior Farid told reporters at the Kedah police headquarters today.
He said the robbers, however, did not realise that the store owner had actually snapped a picture of one of the two men two hours earlier.
“The duo had entered the shop two hours before to scope out the location. Their behaviour triggered the suspicion of the owner, who then discreetly used his mobile phone to snap a picture.
“After the robbery, the store owner showed the picture to the police when he lodged a report on the incident,” he said.
Mior Farid said, based on the picture, police managed to positively identify the suspect and arrested two brothers on Tuesday in Sungai Petani.
Their arrests led police to two others - their sister and a cousin at a house in Kulim.
“Police also seized some of the loot as well as an imitation pistol that was used in the robbery,” he said.
Mior Farid attributed the swift resolution of the case to a series of meetings with jewelry shop owners as part of the crime prevention measure ahead of the Chinese New Year holidays.
He said the family members have been remanded for five days from Wednesday. The case is being investigated under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code. If found guilty, they face a maximum 20 years jail and whipping.