Malaysian police announced they have shot and killed five
Indonesians suspected of burglarizing the home of a top government official
house in Skudai, Johor Bahru.
Johor Bahru Police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff told local media that they
had to open fire on the alleged robbers, who fled in a car, because they were
resisting arrest.
The Malaysian media reported that the police set up a police car as a barricade
to stop the car, but the robbers rammed into it.
After this, the robbers then tried to escape on foot. One of the robbers
pointed a gun at the police as the others drew machetes, forcing police to open
fire in self defense, Mohd said, adding that all five suspects, who were in
their 20s, died at the scene. The suspects had no valid travel documents.
Police recovered a pistol, three bullets, three machetes, two knives, three
screwdrivers and goods stolen from the Indonesian's house.
"We also raided two homes believed to be where the suspects lived, in Kampung
Semangat in Tampoi and Taman Mawar in Pasir Gudang," he said, adding that four
men and three women, aged between 20 and 48, were subsequently arrested.
Police believe the five suspects, from Gang Bonding, were responsible for 22
violent robberies in Kota Tinggi, Simpang Renggam and Johor Baru.
Their modus operandi was to tie up their victims and sometimes rape them before
they ransacked their homes, Mohd said, adding that several victims had also
been injured. (dre)
