Vietnamese robbers killed in shootout

ALOR SETAR: Four Vietnamese robbers shot dead by police in Lunas, Kedah are believed to be part of a bigger gang which has committed robberies nationwide.

Their “tentacles” are spread throughout the country and they have been robbing in many areas with five others caught and prosecuted in Jitra recently.

Kedah CID chief Senior Asst Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said gang members moved around from state to state and robbed stores and outlets which are open late in the night.

“There were several groups of them where their modus operandi is to monitor for several days stores which are open late in the night,” he said.

SAC Mior said it is common knowledge that these stores only bank in their day’s takings in the morning and keep them in their safes.

“Once they know this, they strike and rob the stores and it is carried out by a few groups in various locations.”

In the 4.40am shootout, police acting on a tip-off tracked down a suspicious car in Jalan Padang Serai, Lunas and gave chase when the car sped towards the Butterworth-Kulim Highway at KM19.2 of the highway near the Lunas toll plaza.

SAC Mior said the police told the car driver to stop but suddenly a suspect opened fire and one of them tried to attack with a parang and police shot dead all four.

The four were identified as Le Quoc Long, Vu Dac Sinh, Truong Quoc Dat and Truong Van Long.

Police also recovered a semi-auto gun, bullets, two parang, gloves and other paraphernalia at the scene.

SAC Mior also said police are still investigating how the suspects acquired the gun.