KUALA LUMPUR: Two suspected snatch thieves caught on CCTV carrying out a brazen robbery at a pharmacy in Jalan Gombak, Setapak, on Saturday night were arrested at Jalan Pudu, hours later.
Wangsa Maju district police chief Superintendent Rajab Ahad Ismail said, acting on a report and investigations at the scene, Wangsa Maju police – with Bukit Aman's assistance – tracked the suspects to a hotel lobby in Jalan Pudu at 2am on Sunday, when they were detained.
"Police nabbed the two suspects, aged 31 and 40, and seized some clothing (believed to have been worn during the robbery). Preliminary investigations showed they were also involved in several other robberies and car break-ins in Setapak and Sentul.
"They have admitted to selling the stolen items to a third party, who is currently being traced.
"Further checks showed that the two have criminal records with long lists of offences. One of them is also on the police's wanted list for a drug-related case," he said.
Rajab said that the first suspect has a criminal record of 21 offences, while the wanted suspect has five.
"They will be presented in court today to obtain a remand order," he said, adding that anyone with information on the case is urged to come forward to contact senior investigator, ASP Shahrizal Saleh, at 017-713 4705, or Inspector Aisyah Mohd Nor at 013-933 8214, or the Kuala Lumpur Police hotline at 03-2115 9999.
On Saturday, two snatch thieves assaulted a woman and yanked her two gold necklaces, worth about RM10,000, at the pharmacy in Jalan Gombak.
One of the men slapped the woman, who was standing at the pharmacy's cashier counter, and fled the scene with his accomplice in a waiting Perodua Myvi.
The car, which bore false license plates, is believed to have been stolen.
CCTV footage of the incident found its way onto social media platforms and quickly went viral.