JOHOR BARU A gang that robbed a Pakistani businessman of RM500,000 outside a bank in Pasir Gudang last week managed to spend only about RM12,000 before all eight suspects were arrested within 24 hours.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said among the suspects, aged between 23 and 53, was a local woman of Pakistani descent.
He said one of the suspects was known to the 45-year-old victim, while the other seven were accomplices.
“On Feb 24, police received a report of a robbery at a parking area near a bank at the Pasir Gudang Trade Centre involving losses of RM500,000.
“As the victim was leaving the bank with his wife and heading towards their car, two unidentified men approached them, brandished what appeared to be a pistol and seized two bags containing cash,” he told a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here on Thursday (March 5).
Comm Ab Rahaman said police launched operations in several areas, including Seri Alam and Tampoi, following intelligence gathered after the robbery.
“All the suspects were successfully arrested during the operations,” he added.
Police also recovered RM487,350 in cash, two cars and an air pistol believed to have been used in the robbery.
Comm Ab Rahaman said the group comprised three businessmen, a food trader, two mechanics and two unemployed individuals, one of whom is partially paralysed.
He added that further background checks on the suspects showed that two of them have prior records involving criminal and drug-related offences.
Comm Ab Rahaman said the case is being investigated under Sections 399, 412, 395 and 120B of the Penal Code as well as Section 36(1) of the Firearms Act 1960.
“All suspects have been remanded. Six of them will be charged in court tomorrow, while the remaining two will be released and will serve as prosecution witnesses,” he added.
