MELAKA: What began as a routine pre-dawn sweep to track serial burglars escalated into a violent confrontation in Durian Tunggal here, where three armed suspects were killed after attacking a police team with machetes.
Melaka police chief Deputy Commissioner Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the suspects, believed to be part of the “DT Gang”, comprised two individuals aged 24 and another aged 29.
“The trio are believed to have been involved in at least 20 break-ins since 2024, with losses estimated at RM1.3mil,” he said on Monday (November 24).
DCP Dzulkhairi said the police operation was launched at around 4.50am on Monday under "Ops Casa Melaka", as a coordinated effort to combat a surge in residential robberies here.
He said police encountered three men behaving suspiciously in an oil palm plantation while patrolling near Taman Tambun Perdana along Jalan Tambun in Alor Gajah here,
“My men identified themselves clearly by shouting ‘police’ and all of them were wearing reflective police vests when demanding the three to surrender,” he said.
DCP Dzulkhairi said the suspects reacted with immediate aggression by attacking his men with machetes during a struggle, causing serious injuries to the left arm of a 30-year-old police corporal.
He said the officers were forced to open fire, killing all three on the spot.
DCP Dzulkhairi said among the items recovered were three machetes, face masks, gloves and metal cutters, the tools believed to have been used in their break-ins.
He said that two of the suspects were locals, while the identity of the third remains unconfirmed.
“The 29-year-old had a record with 39 previous offences involving crime and drugs and was high on the police wanted list.
“Another suspect had 12 criminal and drug-related offences," he added.
He said the preliminary investigation revealed that the gang had been active across Negri Sembilan, Selangor and here since last year.
