99 arrested for looting flooded supermarkets

KOTA BARU: A total of 99 people – including 70 who were staying at flood relief centres in Tanah Merah – were arrested after they were caught looting three supermarkets between Dec 26 and 28.

State police chief Deputy Comm of Police Datuk Mazlan Lazim said the suspects were caught looting while the premises were affected by the massive floods.

“We had to go on boats to apprehend the looters and they are from the surrounding flood relief centres.

“In the first case on Dec 26, at 2pm, the manager of Pantai Timur supermarket in Tanah Merah reported to police that locals had broken into the premises and a boat was dispatched to the area where two boats were found in front of the supermarket.

“My officer found 32 people aged between 14 and 40, including a woman, carting off food items.

“They were arrested on the spot,” he said in a press conference at the State Police Contingent office here yesterday.

DCP Mazlan said that in the second case on Dec 28, 49 people, including two women were arrested in Zon Ria, also at Tanah Merah, for looting the supermarket of food items.

The third case on Dec 27, 19 people were taken in after they broke into a supermarket.

He said the suspects, who had been remanded for a week, would be charged under Section 451 of the Penal Code for breaking and entering a premise to steal and are liable to be jailed two to seven years and fined, if found guilty.

He added that the police were on the alert to monitor all business premises.

“The police will not tolerate those who take advantage of the situation to steal goods,” he said.

DCP Mazlan also assured the public that the situation was under control.

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