KUALA LUMPUR: Four Peruvians who broke into luxury apartments in Ampang and elsewhere in the Klang Valley during the daytime have been nabbed.
Police also seized stolen items worth more than RM200,000 from the four men, aged between 35 and 41.
Among items recovered were children's clothing, laptops, digital cameras and jewellery.
Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Jalil Hassan said that at 9.30am on April 18 a police team from the district police headquarters spotted three Peruvians behaving suspiciously at the car park of Villa Condominium in Pandan Indah.
The trio were unloading items from a van when the police approached them and inspected the vehicle.
“The policemen found two oxy-acetylene gas cylinders attached with hoses and burner heads which were used to cut their way into targeted premises.
“We also seized several screwdrivers, metal saws and a crowbar used to prise open shutters and doors,” ACP Abdul Jalil said.
Further checks led police to an apartment unit where a fourth Peruvian was nabbed. There, police found a stack of children's clothing believed to been stolen from a Jusco outlet.
“We also seized digital cameras and laptops stolen from neighbours at Villa Condominium,” he added.
Initial investigations found that the Peruvians, who entered the country on social visit passes, rented luxury apartments or condominiums and targeted their neighbours.
“They would observe the neighbours and break into their units as soon as the victims leave for work. The suspects would even be friendly with the victims so as not to arouse suspicion.
“After a month, the gang would move out and rent at another luxury apartment,” ACP Abdul Jalil said, adding that police were checking if the four were also involved in warehouse robberies.
