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Monday June 12, 2006

Robbers get away with RM2.3mil haul after gun shootout

By MARC LOURDES

SHAH ALAM: The still of the morning in Section 7 here was pierced with sounds of gunshots and shrieking SUVs as robbers ambushed a group of security guards and carted away cash of more than RM2.3mil within 10 minutes yesterday.

More than 35 shots were fired during a fierce shootout between the 10 robbers and 11 security guards, just outside the security company’s branch office in Jalan Kristal L7/7.

EARLY SUNDAY STRIKE: Police forensics experts going through the scene of the heist in Section 7, Shah Alam, yesterday. In their haste to escape, the robbers grabbed seven bags of cash, leaving the rest scattered outside the armoured van.
Four of the guards were in the convoy of two armoured vans and two escort vehicles while the other seven rushed out from the building to help their colleagues.

The vans and escort vehicles were transporting about RM9mil in 27 bags meant to replenish automated teller machines in Shah Alam and Klang.

The job, similar to that of an assault-team strike, happened at 6.30am.

A guard was pistol-whipped on the head during the incident and police believe one of the robbers was injured during the exchange of fire.

SMASHED: The windscreen of the armoured car shot at by several robbers in Section 7, Shah Alam yesterday shows the scars of the violent gunfight Sunday.
The armoured van was riddled with bullets while metal shutters of nearby shops had numerous bullet holes.

“They opened fire immediately after alighting from their vehicles, forcing us to take cover,” said a guard, who declined to be named.

After the guards retreated, the robbers opened the doors of one of the vans and grabbed seven of 14 bags of cash that were stacked inside.

PERPLEXING FIND: (Far left) Police forensics officers checking a bullet recovered from the crime scene
One of the bandits used his pistol butt to hit a guard who was inside the vehicle.

Within 10 minutes, the robbers had fled, leaving behind a Rexton, one of the four SUVs they had come in. They fled in a Toyota Estima, Toyota Hilux and Mitsubishi Storm.

Forensics experts found two pistols inside the Rexton. They also found caps, ski masks, a rifle magazine and bullets, as well as assorted drugs like Ecstasy, syabu and ketamine.

Selangor CID chief SAC II Datuk Hadi Ho Abdullah said the robbers took a total of RM2.32mil from the van.

He said initial investigations showed there were eight to 10 robbers and all of them were armed.

“One of them had a rifle, while the others were armed with pistols,” he said.

It is learnt that the rifle used in the incident was an AR15 assault rifle – similar to one that was used in a bank robbery in Kajang four years ago.

But it was learnt that the police have ruled out a connection between the two crimes, as both employed different modus operandi.

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