Cops and robbers in shootout

GEORGE TOWN: Two Indonesians were gunned down in a shootout with the police at Mount Erskine after they committed a robbery.

Two accomplices, however, managed to escape during the 4.30am incident yesterday.

The gang had earlier robbed a house in Lengkok Halia, some 1.3km away from the scene of the shootout.

Penang police chief Comm Datuk Abdul Ghafar Rajab said a patrol car was dispatched to the house after the police were alerted to the robbery at about 2.30am.

“After a short chase, we managed to stop the suspects near a Chinese cemetery in Jalan Mount Erskine.

“Just as our officers were alighting from the patrol car, the robbers came out and fired at them.

Bullet holes riddle a police car involved in the shootout at Mount Erskine.

“Two of the suspects were shot dead in self defence while two others fled into the cemetery,” he told a press conference at the Penang police headquarters.

Comm Abdul Ghafar said his officers were not hurt during the shootout, but their car bonnet was hit by two bullets.

“We recovered a semi-automatic pistol with three live bullets at the scene.

“We also found a black bag with cash, jewellary and five mobile phones at the cemetery,” he said, adding that a crowbar, a steel cutter, a parang, a screwdriver, masks and other equipments were seized.

Comm Abdul Ghafar said the car was reported stolen in August 2015.

“We believe the Indonesian gang had been involved in at least 25 robbery cases since early 2015.

“I do not want to disclose too many details of the latest robbery as there are two suspects still at large,” he said.

The case is investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code.

Robbery gone bad: (from left) George Town OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, Comm Abdul Ghafar and state CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Zakaria Ahmad showing items at the Penang police headquarters that were seized from the robbers.