KUCHING: A man from Malacca who is suspected to be involved in a number of armed robbery cases here was arrested yesterday. The suspect was brought by police to his rented apartment in Samarahan at 1.40 pm on Wednesday where he showed police the place where he hid a pistol.
Police found a BB pistol and a magazine hidden in the ceiling. Several items related to armed robbery cases were also recovered. State CID chief, SAC Dato’ Dev Kumar confirmed that on 18 December, 2017 at 3.00am, a masked intruder armed with a pistol broke into an apartment at Riveria Bay, Kota Samarahan occupied by a 35-year-old sales executive.
The suspect was believed to have entered the apartment through a bedroom window that was not shut. Sensing the presence of the intruder, the victim tried to run away but the suspect threatened her with the pistol and fired a shot to the ceiling.
The suspect then ordered the victim to hand over her valuables but she only gave him RM100. Unsatisfied with the amount, the suspect tied the victim’s hands with a belt. He pushed her onto the bed and threatened to hurt her. But the victim resisted and screamed for help. The suspect then went out through the bedroom window.
On 10 December, 2017 at 9.10 am, the suspect entered the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastrol Centre at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching and kicked opened the office door. He then pointed a pistol at a 66-year old office staff and ransacked the office.
He then snatched her hand bag and left the place. The victim lost RM500, her identity documents, bank cards and a set of keys. The same suspect entered a kindergarten on 4 January at 8 pm at Sin Hai Min Garden, Stutong, Kuching.
He kicked opened a bedroom door and confronted a 23year old caretaker and snatched two mobile phones before fleeing. On 11 January at 12.55 pm, a CID HQ team led by ASP Stephen ak Ayuk arrested a 26-year-old unemployed man at The Spring mall, Kuching.
The suspect is from Malacca and has two previous convictions for robbery and pos session of a firearm in Malacca. The suspect is currently under remand until 29 January. Investigation is ongoing and the police expect to solve many more lone-wolf robberies with his arrest.
