KUCHING: The infamous Geng Piji, known for vehicle theft, housebreaking, robbery, and cable theft, has been dismantled following the arrest of its leader and 11 members by the police.
Kuching District Police Chief ACP Ahsmon Bajah said that all suspects are local men aged between 20 and 30.
“On May 23, we reactivated the Counter Aggressive Team (CAT) to track down suspects involved in housebreaking, robbery, cable, and vehicle theft around Kuching.
“As a result, we located a 26-year-old local male suspect on Jalan Sultan Tengah, connected to a housebreaking and vehicle theft case in Taman Long Seng on May 19, 2024, which incurred losses of approximately RM90,000,” he told a press conference at IPD Kuching today (June 14).
Following information from the initial suspect, the police arrested 11 more members of Geng Piji.
These arrests have resolved nine cases of housebreaking, vehicle theft, and cable theft, as well as two robbery cases around Kuching.
“We also seized three vehicles, including two cars and one motorcycle, as well as a fake gun resembling a real firearm used to intimidate victims,” he said.
The group’s leader, known as Piji, is a 26-year-old with 20 prior records for various offences, including 11 robbery cases. He had previously been arrested and was involved in five property crimes such as housebreaking and vehicle theft, along with drug offences.
“Due to his history, we are recommending to the Prosecutor that the suspect not be granted bail during court proceedings, as he previously absconded during a trial,” he added.
Piji was on the run when he was due to attend proceedings after being granted bail and used the opportunity to recruit others, forming a group of 11 members to commit crimes. The group had been operating since 2022 until the recent arrests.
Piji had previously been part of another criminal group detained by the police in 2021. He then recruited new members in 2022, and further investigations are ongoing to track down other suspects.
