SHAH ALAM: The suspect in a recent goldsmith robbery in Kota Damansara is an auxiliary policeman working at a private company in Bukit Beruntung.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the 32-year-old suspect had obtained a pistol from his work premises before heading to the goldsmith located inside a hypermarket in Kota Damansara last Saturday, and got away with RM2mil worth of jewellery.
“Based on CCTV footage, we can confirm the suspect acted alone. He even monitored the premises prior to robbing it.
“After fleeing the scene in a car, the suspect headed to his work premises (in Bukit Beruntung) and returned the pistol in storage.
“He then returned home nearby and was getting ready for work when police raided his house and apprehended him,” he told a press conference at the Selangor police headquarters yesterday.
Armed robbery: Comm Hussein showing the suspect’s gun.
A debt of RM20,000 is believed to be one of the motives behind the robbery, Comm Hussein said.
“We are investigating further whether it is a bank loan or an ah long debt.
“The suspect also often shopped at the hypermarket (where the goldsmith was located),” he said.
The suspect is being remanded until this Saturday.
Among the items seized at his home were 81 gold necklaces, an auxiliary police officer’s authority card, RM1,800 in cash and a set of keys, Comm Hussein said.
“Investigations showed that the suspect is married but his family is in Kelantan. He is renting a room in Bukit Beruntung.
“We are not ruling out the possibility that he was also planning to flee to Kelantan,” he said.
The police were able to detain the suspect within 12 hours thanks to Criminal Investigation Department teams from Petaling Jaya and Selangor.
“We also monitored CCTV footage from the hypermarket and along the streets,” he added.
“The suspect took seven trays of jewellery on display before fleeing in a car waiting outside the supermarket, with losses estimated at RM2mil.
“Through intelligence and information, police from the Selangor Police Contingent Headquarters and the Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarters arrested the suspect at 10.15pm on the same day in Bukit Beruntung.”
The police urge anyone with information related to this case to come forward to the nearest police station or contact the Petaling Jaya District Police Operations Room at 03-7966 2222 or Investigating Officer ASP Farokh Faisal Ahmad at 017-776 2991.
