Nothing racial in Low Yat Plaza melee but thuggery, say police

PETALING JAYA: The melee that took place in Low Yat Plaza on Saturday is not a racial issue but one started by a shoplifting incident, said police.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Zainuddin Ahmad (pic) said the incident spiralled out of control when seven men returned to take revenge on the shop assistant who caught the alleged shoplifter.

“It has nothing to do with racial sentiments. It’s between the customer and the shop assistants,” he said adding that people should not spread rumours.

SAC Zainuddin said a 22-year-old man, believed to be among seven people who went smashing things in the shop, has been detained.

The melee was caught on a video which went viral.

The 7.50pm incident brought the mall, popular with tech-goers, to a standstill.

Earlier, the mall’s security guard caught the suspected shoplifter in a smartphone store and turned him over to the police.

“He was not happy and called other people to go to the shop,” ACP Zainuddin told reporters.

The others arrived at the store and started smashing glass display panels, flipping over cabinets and destroying phones and other electronic products worth some RM70,000.

The sales assistants in the store tried to stop them and a brawl ensure on the ground floor of the shopping mall.

Security guards and a police officer were seen standing a few metres away while the fight went on.

SAC Zainuddin said the security manager of Low Yat Plaza had lodged a report with the police.

The case is being investigated for rioting and causing mischief.

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