KOTA BARU: Police have busted a burglary gang with the arrest of three men believed to be responsible for 13 cases in the district, involving estimated losses of RM404,400.
Kelantan police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the three suspects, aged 28 to 36, were arrested in raids carried out from May 10 to 13.
He said all the suspects are locals, one of them being of Myanmar descent.
"The modus operandi of the group, which has been active for the past three to four months, was to target empty houses during the day.
"They would conduct surveillance between 8am and 9am to identify houses left vacant after the occupants had gone to work," he told a press conference after the state police contingent's monthly assembly here on Monday (May 18).
Comm Yusoff said areas targeted by the group included Perol and Peringat, among other locations in the district.
He said initial investigations found that the group is believed to be involved in a housebreaking and car theft incident at a house in Lorong Tepi Tahfiz Ar-Raudhah, Kampung Perol, on April 28, which resulted in losses of about RM30,000.
Police also seized various items suspected to be linked to the housebreaking cases, including mobile phones, tablets, cameras, jewellery, watches, handbags, a car, cash and housebreaking tools.
"Police checks found that the suspects are hardened criminals with lengthy criminal records, comprising 14 drug-related and 16 criminal offences.
"All three suspects tested positive for methamphetamine," he added.
The suspects have been remanded until Tuesday (May 19) to assist investigations under Section 457 of the Penal Code.
Asked if the group was part of a syndicate, he said investigations are ongoing and police do not rule out further arrests. – Bernama
