Boy, 10, among four held for spate of robberies in KK

Among the items recovered from the suspects.

KOTA KINABALU: Four foreigners – three men and a 10-year-old boy – were the culprits behind a string of mugging cases here including on a Chinese tourist, according to the police.

A team from the Sabah Criminal Investigation Department (CID) special investigation (D9) unit detained the child and the others aged 24 to 28 in raids at Jalan Segama and Jalan Tugu Kampung Air here last Saturday and Sunday (Jan 13 and 14).

Sabah Police Commissioner Comm Datuk Jauteh Dikun said they believe they have solved a slew of robbery cases at tourist locations in the city with the arrest of the suspects who were foreigners.

“None of them have any valid identification document,” he said when contacted on Tuesday (Jan 16).

He said police were alerted to a Chinese national having been robbed by two men at Jalan Gaya last Dec 30, with the tourist losing cash and other valuables.

Following tip-offs, he said, the D9 team managed to track down the first two suspects at Jalan Segama on Saturday.

"We recovered some items from their mugging activities and seized two knives, a screwdriver and hammer,” said Comm Jauteh.

Based on new leads, he said, they caught the boy and the remaining suspect at 5.20pm on Sunday.

The case is being investigated under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code (for gang and armed robbery respectively), which provides for up to 20 years in jail and a fine as well as caning on conviction.

On concerns that muggings were taking place at tourist attractions, Comm Jauteh said the police have stepped up crime prevention operations as well as efforts to catch robbery suspects.

“The integrated operation will be continuous involving officers and personnel from various units at hotspots in the city, particularly areas frequented by tourists.

“It includes doing walkabouts that are aimed at fostering closer relations with the community as well as showing the police presence,” he said.