KUANTAN: Three men suspected of being members of the Centro Gang thought responsible for losses of over RM4mil in several jewellery shop break-ins, have been killed in a shootout with police.
The incident occurred at 11.30am on Monday (March 10) at KM17 of the Jalan Pekan-Kuantan Bypass.
The suspects – two Vietnamese men and a Bangladeshi man – died in their car.
The Vietnamese suspects were aged 36 and 44 while the Bangladeshi man was 38, police said.
Pahang police chief Comm Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the car was earlier spotted in the vicinity of the Pahang State Development Board in Pekan by a team comprising members of the Selangor and Pahang Criminal Investigation Department.
He said the team ordered the driver to stop, but he sped off towards the bypass road.
"A high-speed chase ensued before the suspects rammed their car into a police patrol car and came to a halt.
"When policemen stepped out to inspect the vehicle, the suspect fired several shots at them.
"The team returned fire in self-defence, killing the occupants of the car.
"A search of the car found a Glock 17 pistol along with seven rounds of ammunition and three shell casings," Comm Yahaya told a press conference at Pahang police headquarters here on Tuesday (March 12).
He said police also found items including drills and grinders, machetes and hammers in the car, which belonged to the Bangladeshi suspect.
The two Vietnamese men had passports and entered the country as visitors, while the police were still checking the background of the third suspect, he added.
He said the modus operandi of the suspects was to break into a jewellery shop and drill into the safe before emptying it.
Police believe they have now solved six cases of break-ins reported since June: one case each in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang, and three in Perak. – Bernama
