Sabah cops cripple seven break-in gangs, nab over 60 suspects

KOTA KINABALU: Police have crippled seven burglary gangs in the state with the arrest of more than 60 suspects.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the gang members from Geng Boy Lembaga, Amekgay, Kanchill, Sultan, Along, Tumpong and Boy Penampang were detained in a series of crackdowns that started in July.

He said the gangs were responsible for the theft of more than RM1mil in valuables from houses they targeted.

“The suspects aged between 22 and 45 comprise mainly locals with only 13 of them foreigners, and are mainly drug users,” he told a press conference here on Friday (Oct 20).

He said the suspects would roam around higher-end residential areas or observe larger houses for days, and break into homes when the owners were away.

They would then make their escape in rented or stolen cars, he added.

“Following reports of break-ins and thefts, we launched an operation dubbed Black Shadow to trace the suspects in several districts including Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Papar and Ranau,” said Comm Jauteh.

He said more than 80 police personnel and officers were assigned to solve these cases.

From initial investigations, it was found that the suspects did not hurt anyone and would usually flee the scene if anyone was home.

“There was a case where the suspects broke into a house they thought was empty, but when they saw that the owner was home, they immediately ran,” Comm Jauteh said.

He said the suspects ranged from unemployed individuals to private sector employees, with even a few civil servants who were indirectly involved as "fences" who sold off the stolen goods.

“We are still tracing other groups using the same modus operandi," he added.

Comm Jauteh said the cases were being investigated as housebreaking, theft and immigration offences.

Narcotics investigators may also be roped in for suspects who are repeat drug offenders, he added.